


Different Side

by nicoleiacross



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Persona Fusion, Companion Piece, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Gift Fic, M/M, The Author Regrets Nothing, The Author is Very Weak, loqi's a bit of a whore
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-07
Updated: 2017-10-09
Packaged: 2018-11-29 04:36:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 32,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11433297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nicoleiacross/pseuds/nicoleiacross
Summary: You never really know why someone does something. [More companion fic for @heyjealousy'sIn The Dark I See♥ Ravus/Loqi this time uvu ♥]





	1. Secrets

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [In The Dark I See](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10021934) by [liziscribbles](https://archiveofourown.org/users/liziscribbles/pseuds/liziscribbles). 



> @heyjealousy gave me an opening and i took it. I am w e a k. This coincides with/follows the events in [chapter 16 of In The Dark I See](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10021934/chapters/25520352)
> 
>  **09.07.17** small typos fixed in a few places \o/
> 
>  
> 
> **small disclaimer.** a lot of this is universe specific and character specific headcanon. Specifically, Loqi is a bit of a whore. For reasons to be expounded on later.

Of all the things Loqi expected to happen today, leaving Hammerhead with little to no warning was not his list. Anywhere.

Rile up Caelum and Highwind? That was absolutely on his to-do list; getting punched was always a risk—and he is still genuinely surprised Highwind hasn't punched him yet—but he still knew his role. As long as he could remember, there was one simple fact to the natural law regarding humans: everyone has darkness in them and some were easier to manipulate than others. ... Well. To Loqi they were. Regardless, Loqi knows his job—find people that could be useful at gathering intel and supplies, make sure his father's charity case, or whatever the hell that adopted thing is, was... kind of useful. Or dead. Either way, honestly. For how useful he supposedly is, his father's still mad about Piztala and the fact he _wasn't_ dead. His anger's subsided since then... kind of. At least since Caelum's group came around. Loqi isn't sure why, but if it means the heat is off him again, he doesn't really care, either.

Against his better judgement, Loqi reaches for his phone—still sitting in the passenger seat where he'd thrown it after leaving Hammerhead—and checks for any missed calls or texts. He flinches when his father's name shows up and quickly scans the text at the next intersection. Text asking... mostly all the same questions Loqi wants answers to. Confirmation last night went the way it was meant to. Nothing specifically about Ravus or Argentum, per se... but, asking if he's heard anything about last night. If he can confirm the polymer was delivered. And... honestly, as annoyed as he is that Ravus is being overlooked, this is doing absolutely nothing except make him worry that maybe he was _right_. He doesn't care one way or another if Argentum is dead; but, the fact Ravus hasn't been in contact with his father since last night is... unsettling, at best. Ignoring Loqi was fine—well. Not fine, but they had a pretty bad argument the last time they'd seen each other; the same argument they _always_ had whenever Loqi made new contacts.

So, Ravus ignoring him made _sense_... didn't make it any easier, though. Not when Loqi was running through all the probable scenarios of what happened. Given the drive from Hammerhead to Lestallum should probably take all day, he felt well within his rights to the speed he _was_ driving.

The first thing he notices upon arriving—aside from the fact he definitely made time he _shouldn't_ have—is that at the very least, Ravus' car is definitely down in the parking area and Loqi immediately darts for his apartment. It takes him less time than normal to remember how to get to the apartment and find the right key... and eventually, he's going to need to talk to Ravus about the number of supposed 'safe houses' he has, if just because Loqi has an entire keyring for getting into each place.

Once the door opens, he mostly expects Ravus to scold him for coming over unannounced. But, when all that meets him is silence, he's immediately jumping to conclusions once more. _Ok_... _maybe he's just asleep still_. As he's heading back towards the bedroom, entirely intent on giving him a rather rude wake up, the front door opens again and an annoyed sigh fills the apartment.

"Loqi, how many times do I have to tell you—"

Loqi doesn't give him the chance to finish the lecture and nearly knocks him to the ground when he zips back and latches onto him. For a few seconds, it's just a tight hug. Reassurance he's actually standing there, actually alive. The second _that_ settles, his fingers curl into Ravus' jacket, pulling him into a demanding kiss. Extra reassurance. To hell with whatever they were fighting over, he's alive and that's _all_ that matters at present.

Ravus seems to agree when he doesn't immediately shove Loqi away. When the bag over his arm falls to the floor, when his hands move up to brush into Loqi's hair. Which would be a lot more reassuring if his hand hadn't just touched Loqi's cheek.

Immediately he jerks backwards with a hiss, hand going to hold his face before he's thought about it. He almost expects to be given the cold shoulder again; it wouldn't be the first time. But, as soon as Ravus recovers and assesses the situation as a whole—and, sometimes, Loqi still isn't sure how he operates so quickly—he gently pulls Loqi's hand away to look over the swelling himself, "You should've iced this down already."

"Was a little busy." Loqi mumbles, not bothering to fight or protest as Ravus turns him and gives a gentle push towards the kitchen. "Could've answered your damn phone. What happened? My dad is asking _me_ for answers and I don't have them."

"So his answer was to send you out to Lestallum?" Ravus asks as he's moving around the kitchen. Water in a small Ziploc bag, crushed ice added in before it's securely closed. He wraps it in a kitchen towel before pressing it to Loqi's cheek, holding it in place and giving him a long, searching look. "... Your father doesn't know you're here, does he?"

Loqi doesn't answer; instead, he makes a point of looking away and begins shifting restlessly. Ravus lets out a slow breath.

"Loqi."

"If you'd just checked in with him, I wouldn't have come all the way out here." Loqi finally squirms free, holding the makeshift ice pack on his own so he can pace. "Or, Hell. Checked in with _me_. Caelum shows up without you or the other one—"

Ravus catches his shoulders, turning him and holding him in place, "Lo. Slow down and tell me what happened. What about Caelum?"

"I saw him get back, was by himself—wait." Loqi frowns a little, "You know who Caelum is?"

"He came with Argentum, of course I do?"

Loqi gives him an annoyed, pointed look and Ravus sighs, "Yes. I know Caelum. I told you, my sister was with a group of people that could all operate within Hour Twenty-Five? Caelum's father leads the group. ...Lead. If my information is anything to go by... Caelum and Amicitia's fathers have been dead for a while. Unfortunate, really. Now. Tell me what happened."

"Or, you can tell _me_." Loqi makes a vague waving gesture with his free hand, "My dad is _pissed_ and I have _no idea_ what's going on! Caelum came back this morning without you, without Argentum, without the polymer my dad asked for and all he can tell me is Argentum's missing like I'm supposed to care about _that_. You were supposed to meet them at _ten_ , Ravus. Nowhere near Hour Twenty-Five. They could have been back last night, easily. So what the _Hell_ happened?"

Ravus doesn't answer right away. He's quiet for a long moment; and, when he finally starts to answer, a familiar ring fills his apartment. One Loqi's heard enough times that his immediate reaction is to tense up and mutter an under breath swear, "Damn it, I left my phone in my car—"

He snaps his mouth shut when Ravus answers the phone and puts a finger to his lips, wordlessly telling him to be quiet, even when his attention is on the phone, "Dr. Besithia. My apologies for the delay, I just got back to my apartment—yes, I have him here. I asked him to come by—that won't be necess... of course. ... Of course, one moment."

To say he looks annoyed would be an understatement; but, he still passes the phone to Loqi. Loqi, in turn, takes a deep, steady breath before he brings the phone to his ear, trying to ignore the knots his stomach is twisting into, "Y-yes, sir?"

" _You couldn't have answered your phone to tell me where you'd gone?_ " His father sounds annoyed. Perhaps not with Loqi, but the situation as a whole, " _I've been trying to get a hold of you for quite a few hours now._ "

"I'm... I'm sorry, I left my phone in the car, I was going to answer as soon as I got here, I just—"

" _This is not a mistake that will be made again, do you understand me? I expect this sort of absent-mindedness from your brother. **Not** you._ "

It takes more effort than he cares for not to snap out an automated reply about how they _aren't_ brothers. But, he bites it down and instead nods a little, "Yes, sir."

" _Good. Since you are in Lestallum, I expect you to check in with our other associates in the area. I'm certain quite a few of them are waiting for payment._ " The knot in his stomach tightens, sharply; but, he keeps the response to himself. _"Now, give the phone back to Nox Fleuret._ "

Loqi barely waits for the entire order; he hands the phone back to Ravus without question and quickly retreats to the living room, huddling up in a corner of the couch with his knees drawn up to his chest. He keeps the ice pressed to his cheek—mostly just cold water, now—and watches the kitchen entrance over his knees. He _could_ probably get away with eavesdropping... but, with the mood his father's in, he'd really rather just wait it out. Much to his surprise, however, it doesn't take nearly as long as he was expecting for the call to finish. Ravus joins him within minutes, quietly taking up the cushion next to him and gently prompting him to turn so he can pull the ice pack away and look over his cheek.

"You probably should have told him you were leaving." Ravus murmurs, carefully rubbing his thumb over Loqi's cheek. "You know this is going to be tender for a few weeks, at least."

"Yeah, well. Kind of what happens." Loqi brushes his hand away and puts the ice pack back against his cheek, "Still haven't answered me. I have other errands to run, now that he knows I'm out here. So. Either start talking or—"

The words trail off when Ravus leans over to hug him. It's loose at first. A simple gesture; but, it's steadily becoming tighter until he's pulled Loqi closer. Not quite in his lap; but, close enough. For those few minutes though, Loqi is genuinely confused and honestly a little terrified. The same way he gets whenever things get... too comfortable.

"... Rae, you're... kind of freaking me out. What'd he say—"

"Don't." Loqi almost doesn't hear him. He mostly just feels the words against his shoulder; but, it's enough for him to stop and try to listen. "Just stay here. You don't need to be running errands right now."

Immediately, he feels a familiar annoyance and starts squirming around to get free, "Really? _Really_? You want to have _that_ argument right now? I just spent the entire drive from Hammerhead to Lestallum thinking you were _injured_ or _dead_ somewhere—"

"I nearly _was_." Ravus scowls when he finally releases Loqi and puts at least a little distance between them, "I spent so long dealing with your father, I ended up spending Hour Twenty-Five with those two. Is there a _reason_ neither of you felt the need to inform me Caelum would be tagging along? Or that he has an Aeon?"

Loqi can only stare at him as the information processes, "Wait. _Caelum_ does?"

"He does. And your brother—"

"—still not my brother—"

"—can... function during Hour Twenty-Five. I spent two hours worrying about how to even _get_ to Argentum. And then I'm dealing with daemons, Caelum, _and_ Argentum when the Hour begins."

Loqi is still back on the part with the Aeon. His brows furrow tight together as he tries to put it together. It was weird to consider anyone else having an Aeon. It had been weird enough finding out Ravus had one after spending so long thinking he was the only one. He wonders, momentarily, if his father knows; if that would explain the sudden interest he had in Caelum. Slowly, his brain begins to catch up with everything else and he frowns, "Wait. Two hours? You were already in the area, what two hours, what are you talking about?"

This time, Ravus looks confused. Then suspicious. "What did your father even tell you about this arrangement?"

"Argentum was supposed to pick up a polymer, bring it back, end of story. The only reason I wasn't the one meeting you was because I was dealing with those idiots that were investigating the old bunker last week? Don't even think they actually finished clearing it; but, dad said they were getting paid." Loqi shrugs. If they're going to fight, he doesn't see a reason not to make sure they're fighting over the right things. But... when the information does little more than make Ravus scowl, he starts to get that nagging feeling he's missed something. This is starting to become a bit too frequent. "What?"

"Then you didn't know."

Not a question. Loqi feels the frown deepen, "Know _what_?"

"The group that 'cleared out' Keycatrich, right? They turned down the money, as I recall. _Did_ they receive payment?"

Loqi crosses his arms, giving Ravus a pointedly annoyed look, "If you're going to waste my time, I'm leaving. We've been through this enough times. _I'm_ the one making the offers. Not my dad. I know what I'm doing."

"That wasn't the question. I'm _asking_ because they didn't even  _start_  the job. The trenches were _crawling_ with daemons." Ravus' eyes narrow, "Now. _Did_ you pay them?"

Annoyance is starting to feel like an understatement. Accurate, definitely. But an understatement. But, if this is the argument Ravus wants to have, two can play that game. So he just gives a half-hearted shrug.

"Guess they got paid for nothing, then. Your _point_?" He doesn't try to keep the annoyance from his tone, even when the attempt at nonchalance turns into a glaring contest between the two of them, "Or, here's a thought: _maybe_ I just prefer not going celibate for more than a few days. Weird, right?"

Ok, that may have been a lie. It was definitely a lie; but, he's had this conversation enough times. Sex was _nothing_. Means to an end, occasionally extra incentive for hunters that would accept, and sometimes payment. Most contacts preferred money or supplies or referrals to get their gear upgraded; but, there were a handful that preferred more physical payment and Loqi didn't see a problem with it. Was he annoyed that he'd been sent on a payment errand for a job that _wasn't_ finished? Yes, absolutely. But, that didn't change the fact that he's had this conversation with Ravus _multiple_ times or the fact it _has_ been longer than he's used to going without sex. A moment longer of the two glaring at one another with no answers and Loqi finally registers exactly what he was told. "... Why do you even _know_ Keycatrich is still flooded?"

"Because I was there this morning. Specifically, I was there carrying out your father's orders. The polymer was just something he needed to get Argentum out of the house. Does he actually need it? Probably. I don't really care; but, if Caelum and his lot's involved… getting me involved is making a lot more sense." Ravus trails off, mumbling to himself for a moment. When he finally makes eye contact again, he looks… annoyed. A little worried, but mostly annoyed. "I had wondered why he didn't just send Argentum straight to Keycatrich. Why the meeting had to be so close to Hour Twenty-Five. Because if Caelum went along, he may have had a chance in Keycatrich. And you just happened to be sent to the same group that failed to do their job correctly. That doesn't strike you as odd?"

Loqi shifts about in his seat for a few seconds as he mulls over the information. Yeah, it's odd. The whole thing is odd. Telling Ravus to meet them close to Hour Twenty-Five, even though Loqi knows for a fact he was told the meeting was at ten. Because he was expecting the deal to be done and his errands to be done so he could… try to make up with Ravus. Mostly because whenever they fought, Ravus ended up going on way more hunts—anything to keep his distance from Hammerhead… even when it meant more dangerous hunts that they could have been handling together. Yeah, there was always the chance his dad was going to find out and be pissed as hell… but, so far, Loqi's done pretty good making sure it just seems like he's tagging along for intel purposes. Besides, someone needs to keep up with the maintenance on the prosthetic arm. Which he should really do before he leaves later—

Abruptly, he shakes his head, trying to get his thoughts back on track and lets out a slow, strained breath. The ice pack is completely melted and forgotten in his hand; so, when he moves to sitting cross-legged, hands resting in his lap, he starts tossing the pack between his hands to help him think, "Ok. Fine. It's weird. But why? What was the point in lying to me? I mean… ok, yeah, Piztala was my fault for not considering that defect would run into someone else who could operate inside Hour Twenty-Five. But he's been stupidly interested in Caelum's group, so I know he's not mad about that anymore. ...Er… as… mad… either way," Loqi waves it off, mostly to ignore how weird it feels for Ravus not to be giving him exasperated looks for how he treats Argentum. He tries to pull his thoughts together, "And if the cave is flooded… even if Caelum went with him, unless he knew Caelum has an Aeon, he couldn't know they'd actually survive. Unless he doesn't want Caelum dead, I guess, I don't know." He finally gives up and ruffles a hand back through his hair when he realises more pieces are missing than he thought, "Damn it…. And why get you involved? He doesn't know about your sister, so it's not like he had any leverage in this situation—"

For some reason, those words are finally what get a reaction out of Ravus. It's not much; just the way he sits up a little straighter, the way he goes just that little bit more tense and… honestly, Loqi has no idea what he just said to get that reaction. He knows—well… honestly, he's not sure what he knows anymore. But he's mostly positive that his father isn't aware of the fact Ravus even has a sister. So, he makes a questioning noise in his throat, hoping for some kind of answer. Anything, really, at this point.

"... Have you really never stopped to consider your father is using you just as much as he is Argentum?" Ravus doesn't meet his eye. Still, Loqi can tell he's upset; and, normally he'd be a lot more curious. Instead, he starts to bristle.

"And what the hell is that supposed to mean? He is not—"

"Really? So, sending you off on errands, when a job hasn't been finished? Keeping you in Hammerhead, when us working together has proven more efficient on _multiple_ occasions, even when he's not aware you are helping me fight? Telling you the something _completely_ different than what he's telling me? He _told me_ to drop Argentum in that infested hellhole. Even if you both hate Argentum, why kill him? Why kill him, specifically, somewhere the body can't be recovered? He doesn't become a Crystal, he won't shatter into tech you can use."

To that, Loqi has absolutely no argument. Even if it were a field test—did the effects of a person's blood last forever? Was it just like a violent energy drink for daemons?—there wouldn't be anyone there to record results. Even if his father had other contacts, those were results he'd want to see on his own. The same way he personally made sure to record any data he had on their blood in the labs. Argentum's tended to be more beneficial; but, it was easier to run tests on someone that was aware they were in an experiment. Loqi's blood was potent, sure; but, there was something a lot darker in Argentum. Guilt. Dependency. Different than the malicious base of Loqi's own blood. Even in newer experiments, even with Caelum in the equation, Loqi had the facts whether he liked them or not. So, anything involving Argentum's blood, his father would definitely want first-hand records. Not observational notes passed on.

When he doesn't have a ready argument, Ravus lets out a slow breath, "I should have thought of that before. He's getting a little too clever for my liking."

Loqi finally looks up, is momentarily shocked that Ravus meets the curious expression, and mulls over the information a few seconds longer before he finally asks, "About what? You've never had a problem telling him to fuck off before. Hell, you straight up refused to be part of the Piztala trip because you thought you'd be defending Argentum. So what changed?"

Ravus is the one that stalls answering this time. When he finally does, it's with a strained sigh, "His methods. As I said. He's getting clever about it. If I had to guess… he knew we were fighting during the Piztala trip and didn't think threats would work. He's either becoming bold or he's desperate. Whichever, he knew I wouldn't say no if he dangled you around."

"Me? I wasn't even part of this mission—" The words stop abruptly and Loqi feels a nerve twitching as he starts putting it together. He hadn't gotten back until late the night before. Even after finishing his rounds, he waited until Hour Twenty-Five passed, hoping for some sign that things had gone ok with Ravus. In hindsight, he'd been well within driving distance of Keycatrich and could have easily gone to ensure the job was done himself. Normally, he would; but, he'd spent the entire night worrying when he didn't get word of how things had gone in Galdin. Instead of focusing on his own task. "Ok. Fine. So I was close to Keycatrich. So? He wouldn't…."

Or, that's what he wants to tell himself. His father wouldn't actually try to have him killed over something so simple as Ravus refusing to help with something.

"He assumed enough to know I would react to him implying he would do so." Ravus doesn't confirm or deny Loqi's conviction. "I had every intention of turning him down. I did, originally. The second he told me that I was supposed to transport Argentum to Keycatrich, I refused the job. He wasn't as upset as I would have expected," a frown crosses his face, an aggravated sigh escapes his lips, "That should have been the first sign something was wrong. I was suspicious, yes... but as soon as he said he was sending you to Keycatrich, instead, I... panicked. I should have thought it through a bit more. But, I didn't."

"It's not like I can't fight—oh. ... _Oh_." The knot in his stomach is back and Loqi finds himself rubbing one of his arms as he thinks about it. Calculated manipulation. That's all payment errands ever were. Let people hear what they wanted, do what they wanted; literally no strings attached. He'd been confused by the offer to go drinking first. Not that he ever turned down free drinks. Thankfully, he keeps an eye on his drink and when he doesn't he makes a point of getting new drinks for himself. Still, he feels an annoyed scowl cross his face, "Well, that just ruined me ever going drinking again. Fucking awesome."

He's genuinely surprised when Ravus gives a short, disbelieving laugh, "You could have _died_ and you're worried about your bar habits?"

"It's been a long day, ok? Fuck you, Rae." Loqi rubs at his forehead, "Great. This is... great. I still think you're nuts, but... let's pretend I believe it for right now. I'm not in the mood to fight. Last night was shit, this morning was shit, I haven't slept at _all_ —"

"You haven't slept?" Ravus quirks a brow at him and all he can really do is shrug one shoulder and refuse to meet the alarmed look.

"Spent all night wondering what happened. Got back to Hammerhead, went straight for buying coffee... saw Caelum on the way out. You weren't with him." Loqi rubs at his arm, absently, and bites on his lip as he waits for the yelling to start.

His shoulders begin to sag when Ravus stands; but, a moment later, he's picked up. He startles for a moment, arms immediately going around Ravus' neck for security, before an angry flush crosses his face, " _Put me down_!"

"In a moment, quit fussing before I drop you." Ravus mumbles, not once loosening his hold. It still feels awkward though; a moment later, he figures out why when the other man gives an annoyed sigh, "We'll need to stop by a hardware shop later. I doubt you grabbed any of your tools. I hate to ask, but—"

Loqi immediately stops squirming in favour of digging his nails into Ravus' back and making more agitated noises, "If you fucked your arm up why the _hell_ are you carrying me?"

"I _didn't_. It's just a little stiff. Now if you would _kindly_ remove your nails from my back."

A moment longer and he complies, before he begins wiggling around to get comfortable. He knows he isn't light—not the same way Argentum is. Lighter than Ravus, definitely; but, that doesn't mean he wants to agitate his arm any worse than it is. He finally settles, just as Ravus gets the bedroom door open, just as he's trying to set Loqi on the bed. Instead of complying, Loqi keeps his arms and legs wrapped stubbornly around the man. It earns him an exasperated sigh.

"I have work to do. I swear, I'll be in the living room. Just get some sleep, Lo."

"Yeah, well, _technically_ so do I." He still doesn't let go. "M'not sleeping alone. So, either I'm going out there and sleeping on you or you're staying in here with me."

For a second, he's worried Ravus is just going to pry him loose and leave. But, after a few minutes worth of silence, Ravus finally lets out a slow sigh, defeat becoming apparent as his posture becomes more lax, "Fine. Fine. Are you at least going to let me get undressed?"

"Are you going to _stay_ undressed?" Loqi finally releases him, squirming into a sitting position as soon as he hits the bed, so he can get out of his own clothes.

Ravus rolls his eyes as he's shrugging out of his jacket, "I think I've learned my lesson after how my _last four_ sleeping shirts ended up. Thank you."

Loqi just grins and shrugs when he situates himself under the blankets, waiting as patiently as he can. The second Ravus lies next to him, he latches on. It doesn't take nearly as long to find his comfortable spot; the exhaustion hits almost as soon as he stops squirming and he's fast asleep within minutes.


	2. Contracts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heeeeey, more Loqi and Ravus stuff \o/!
> 
> This is a direct follow-up to the previous chapter, but should still be read after [Chapter 18](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10021934/chapters/25614156) of In The Dark I See! 
> 
> \o/ please enjoy!

It feels like the phone rings barely seconds after Ravus has fallen asleep. He'd definitely gotten more sleep than Loqi; even without the knowledge the blonde _hadn't_ slept, the fact he doesn't react to the ringtone filling the bedroom would be a dead giveaway. Now if Ravus could ignore it, that would be _fantastic_ —

The second the thought crosses his mind, there's a moment of silence and he almost hopes the man's given up; but, sure enough, the ring returns within seconds and he lets out an annoyed groan, finally accepting the fact he should _probably_ answer the phone. ...Which, honestly, would be a lot easier if he didn't have a dead asleep Loqi on him. When he glances down, the annoyance leaves for at least a few seconds. One day he'll figure out how Loqi manages to get all of the blankets to himself (not that Ravus really _cares_... but it is a little concerning sometimes) and still stay latched onto Ravus. After the third or fourth ring, he finally starts to wake up a little and gives an annoyed, still very asleep curse. His arms wrap tighter around Ravus' torso and he stubbornly buries his face in the closest shoulder, "Turn the damn thing off, Rae... s'too early."

"I'd love to; but, that's a little difficult when you aren't letting me move." Still; Ravus does make at least _some_ attempt to try reaching where his phone is charging on the bedside table. Just out of reach and he sighs, looking down at Loqi again. "You have to let go for a bit, Lo." All he gets is an annoyed grumble. One that's quickly placated by Ravus reaching up to run a hand through the blonde hair, rubbing gently at his scalp until he calms back down. A few minutes longer, when the phone finally stops ringing again, Loqi finally raises his head, rubbing irritably at his eyes and grumbling curses about how dry his eyes are.

"Time is it?"

"A bit after sundown, I'd wager. Let me up for just a second," He manages to move enough to reach his phone. The motion takes _maybe_ two seconds; but, Loqi still whines over it, even when Ravus immediately settles back to his prior position, "There. See? You know he's going to call back. Or expects me to—"

The words barely leave his mouth before his phone rings again and he gives a thin smile, "Told you so."

Instead of arguing further, Loqi puts his head back down. Ravus should probably be worried about whether or not he's eavesdropping... but, he's also mostly positive neither of them actually care if he does. So, instead of making a fuss, Ravus swipes across the screen to accept the call and brings the phone to his ear, his free hand going back to running through Loqi's hair to keep him at least somewhat placated. "Nox Fleuret speaking."

" _I'm going to assume there is a **reason** neither you nor my son are answering your damned phones._ "

Loqi immediately tenses up next to him; Ravus gives his hair a gentle tug to get his attention and shakes his head a little, trying to tell him not to worry. He can handle this.

"Despite whatever you may believe, Dr. Besithia... I do require a chance to rest between assignments. You had me running all over the Galdin coast and _then some_ last night, in case you forgot. And, Loqi's asleep since you sent _him_ running around, as well." Loqi tilts his head in a curious gesture at his name, looks genuinely confused as he's biting his lip and trying to pull the blankets even closer. Ravus tries to give him a smile; it's short-lived when the voice returns from the other end of the phone, annoyance crossing his features once more.

" _Then I suggest you wake him up. **Now**._ "

"For what—"

Loqi reaches up before the argument can progress, ignores the pointed look Ravus gives him, and takes the phone at the same time he's stifling a yawn behind his other hand hand, "M'awake. Just needed a small recharge before I go finish rounds."

One day Ravus might be impressed with his ability to adapt to the conversation; but, for now, he just scowls.   'Finish' rounds when he hasn't even started them. Loqi nudges his hand insistently to demand more petting, even though his attention's on the phone. Ravus can't hear the ranting anymore; not all of it, at any rate. He hears a few select words every few seconds—specifically, his interest is caught a few moments later as Loqi's pulling the phone from his ear to try dulling the increased volume.

” _—Leonis wasn't even the issue, **Armaugh** was.  And now I have to deal with those **imbeciles** being involved and saying they're moving him out to Lestallum—_ "

That, very specifically, catches both of their attentions. Loqi actually perks up almost immediately and doesn't seem to care about the tirade anymore, or the fact he's interrupting when he asks, "Lestallum? They're moving Argentum out here?"

" _Don't **even** think about it, Loqi_ ," Verstael snaps, still loud enough for Ravus to hear, " _And do **not** interrupt me._ "

"Sorry, sir. But, why _not_? They only said _you_ weren't allowed anywhere near him, right? And I actually have a reason to be out here." He's sitting up at that point, clearly working through the details in his head when he glances at Ravus and bites down on his lip for a moment, "Assuming Nox Fleuret sticks around, anyways. Highwind and Aurum and Argentum all know I've worked with him before. Far as they're concerned, that's all I'm doing. So, why not?"

"This is all assuming the boy's even alive," Ravus points out, tone dry, as he moves to an upright position as well, with his back against the headboard and his arms crossed. "Or are we going to overlook that probability?"

Loqi makes a gesture to wave him off, his attention more focused on the phone, even when he crawls into Ravus' lap and situates himself. His father's calmed down, at least enough to assess the proposal. In that time, Loqi taps the speaker button and leans back into Ravus' chest with a quietly content sigh as they wait for a verdict. Ravus doesn't try to dislodge him (mostly because he knows how poorly _that_ particular attempt will end) and instead wraps his arms loose around Loqi's waist while they wait. After what feels like _forever_ Verstael's voice finally fills the room.

" _Fine_. _But let me make one thing clear: you are **not** to engage in any combat, Loqi. Do you understand me?_ "

"Intel and maintenance only, I know." Despite the words, they both know Loqi's high likely to end up in a hunt sooner or later. "Keep an eye on Argentum, find some fun stuff around here, _and_ the Lestallum circle is probably the most useful as far as field associates go. Winning situation all around."

" _Very well. I expect weekly reports. Blood samples, if you can obtain them. Yours, at the very least. I suspect you'll be coming to gather your trinkets at some point in the near future?_ "

Trinkets is not the word Ravus would use for any of Loqi's projects; but, the blonde doesn't argue. Merely gives an affirming hum, "Soon as I make the rest of the payment rounds. Sometime in the morning, probably. Anything else, sir?"

The response this time is a short beep and silence. Loqi sighs and tosses the phone on the opposite side of the bed, "That sounded suspiciously like an order to go get my phone out of the car."

"Probably." Ravus murmurs, arms tightening in a protective gesture. As much as he wants to argue Loqi making his rounds, he also knows it's futile. So, instead, he does the next best thing and tries to distract him a little longer. Soft kisses against his shoulder, hands rubbing gently along his sides, "I think we'd both prefer you staying in bed a bit longer."

The blonde laughs, leaning back and tilting his head a bit; his way of demanding more attention, "Yeah, well. We're going to have all the time in the world, soon enough. Finish the rounds today, won't have to do them again for a while. Dad pays them for information, but... if I'm out here, screw that? I can get the intel myself. I'm better anyways."

At that, he kind of has to laugh and shake his head, "If I didn't know you were right about that, I would probably lecture you about humility. But, you are right. And you'll be back in the field again."

That part... admittedly, Ravus is a bit worried about that part. Not necessarily Loqi hunting—he knows the blonde is more than capable of holding his own in combat. The concern is how _reckless_ he can get. When he's with Ravus, he's a bit more mindful—knows full well what an injury can mean; but, on his own or when he's stressed... reckless is an understatement. Ravus can count seven times off the top of his head that Loqi's purposefully antagonised daemons, just to watch them frenzy. If it were for data, he might understand. He'd still be annoyed, but he would understand a bit better. But, Verstael's made it perfectly clear that Loqi was _not_ to engage in combat unless it was a necessity; so, not for data. Whatever it was, Loqi rarely seemed any worse for wear afterwards. A bit more beat up, a bit more exhausted. But, unwilling to talk about _what_ exactly he was thinking when he provokes the daemons. After the first three fights they had, Ravus learned to stop asking and just monitor him as closely as possible the days following.

His attention is brought back to the present rather abruptly by a sharp pain at the base of his neck and he hisses, " _Really_?"

Loqi leans back enough to grin up at him and doesn't look the least bit ashamed for biting. Ravus isn't really sure when he turned around or how long Loqi's been trying to get his attention; long enough for him to resort to biting, but... honestly, that could very well have just been a few seconds, just as easily as a few minutes.

"I've got rounds to make. Two of which are very unfortunately physical—assuming they even have the information I want. This would be a lot easier if you didn't set the bar on my expectations so high, you know that, right?" He sighs, dramatically; but, doesn't give Ravus a chance to argue, "Handful of others have monetary payments, one wants new tech, and three want recs. So... I vote we re-Christen your apartment before I have to go out for the night, so I've got something to keep me sane. And, afterwards, you go talk to those nice people in the front office, see about getting the room next to yours?"

"... Ok, ignoring the rest of that for a minute, why am I asking about the apartment next door?"

"Because you hate when I leave my projects everywhere." Loqi shrugs a little, "I just want it for a workshop. I'll pay you back for the room."

As much as Ravus _wants_ to argue—he's told Loqi enough times that he doesn't need to be paid back—now that he has an answer to _that_ , his mind wanders back to the first part of the sentence.

"Alternatively, you just stop offering sexual favours as payment." He sighs, shakes his head, and quickly continues before a fight can start, "That being out of the question, we are not re-Christening my entire apartment. Like you said: we'll have all the time in the world, soon enough."

That, at the very least, gets him a grin. "Valid point. ... You know... I don't think we've actually fucked _in_ the bedroom. Can we fix _that_ then?"

♥

"Hey, Rae, where's that blue sweater?"

Ravus, far against his better judgement, leans out of his bathroom and gives the closet an exasperated look, "Stop stealing my clothes."

"I'm not _stealing_ them! I'm temporarily appropriating them for the greater good." Loqi comes out with his jeans hanging relatively low on his waist (never mind still being open) and shrugs, "Or, greater evil. Whichever. Technicalities. Take your pick, honestly. Sweater, where is it?"

" _Why_ are you insisting on wearing _my clothes_ when you're running errands?" Ravus crosses the room, mostly to fix the jeans; of course, the second he hooks one of the belt loops, Loqi immediately takes that as an invitation to press up against him. It takes considerably more effort than he's willing to admit, to ignore where this _could_ go and find a stricter tone, "Loqi...."

"Hmm?" The blonde acts like he's done absolutely nothing wrong—which, might be a technical accuracy for the moment—and curls his arms around Ravus' neck, "What?"

"You have successfully Christened the bedroom _and_ the shower. We already talked about this."

"Then, maybe next time you just tell me where the sweater is? And _not_ touch my jeans if you aren't taking them off me?" Even with the mild snark, Loqi doesn't provoke anything further than a quick kiss, "Sooner you tell me where the sweater is, sooner I make my rounds, sooner we can do something a _lot_ more fun than worry about the lesser minions."

"You still haven't told me _why_ you want that sweater in particular. We're in Lestallum, you're going to be burning up in that, running around the power plant."

"Worth it." The blonde shrugs. "I like that sweater. It helps me stay on task." There's a short pause, one in which Ravus _intends_ to ask for clarification; but, he picks back up relatively quick, "Besides, it gives me something to look forward to."

A moment longer and a quick glance at his watch, Ravus finally sighs and gestures back towards the dresser, "Middle drawer. _All_ of 'your clothes' are in there."

Loqi actually looks amused for a second; but, just as quickly, the look is gone the second he leans up to press another kiss to Ravus' cheek this time, "Thanks, Rae. Anything fun in there?" He's clearly not looking for an answer when he finally pulls away and wanders over to the dresser. Or, more specifically, he knows the answer.

His father expects a very specific dress-code; business casual, usually, for a sense of professionalism. Ravus doesn't see why it particularly matters, given that most of his contacts _barely_ pass as professionals. Regardless, Loqi knows he's expected to dress certain ways around his father, despite any personal tastes he has. And those personal tastes, quite inevitably, end up staying in Ravus' apartment, carefully sorted into their own location in hopes that Loqi will wear his own clothes. ... Not that _that_ ever actually seems to happen; but, it doesn't stop him from _hoping_ it will.

Ravus just shakes his head and takes the opportunity to pull his own clothes from the closet, idly listening to the rummaging behind him as he's getting dressed, "I trust you'll be mindful of the time while you're running around?"

"Considering there are very few things more awkward than negotiating trades near midnight when you know people crystalise? Punctuality is my forte. ... Unless, it's that asshole reporter again. He's always fun to screw with." An amused laugh fills the room, even when Ravus turns around to throw his discarded towel at the blonde. Mostly to keep from focusing on how welcome the laugh is, on how rare it is to _hear_ Loqi relaxed enough to even laugh. Mocking laughs? Those are normal. Those he's perfected from _years_ of dealing with his father's associates. A real laugh, though? Ravus is lucky if he hears them _ever_. They can go literal weeks and months of seeing each other and he won't get a laugh or even a genuine smile. Sometimes, he's a little grateful for it; because it's a bit difficult to focus whenever they _do_ happen.

"Could you take this seriously? Just for a few seconds? I _meant_ make sure you're nowhere near the city limits when the Hour starts."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Don't leave the city without you until the coast is clear. I know."

Loqi's still laughing, a bit quieter as he's going through the assortment of accessories he always leaves behind. Bracelets and rings and watches and other pretty trinkets that his father considers useless distractions. Whatever he settles on—if anything—doesn't make any noise; so, nothing metal. Apparently satisfied with that much, he finally fixes his jeans and pulls the sweater in question on. Light blue, form-fitting. Well, on Ravus, it would be; on Loqi, it's just that little bit bigger and _honestly_... Ravus can't even remember buying that sweater. He can remember wearing it a few times; but where it came from? How long he's even owned it? All he really knows is it's Loqi's favourite and any and all attempts to hide the sweater generally end in his apartment torn apart. His thoughts are interrupted by a sudden tug and a quick kiss; it takes him a few seconds to register what just happened. When he does, Loqi's already heading out the door, arms stretched above his head as he does, "See you in a few hours, Rae. Don't do anything I wouldn't."

"Because _that_ is a sizeable list to consider." Ravus rolls his eyes; but, he still smiles until the laugh disappears out into the hallway. As soon as he's alone, he sighs and runs a hand back through his hair. Things were really, _really_ never supposed to be this complicated. Loqi was _supposed_ to be just another contact. A better paying one, admittedly; but another contact, nonetheless. Someone he saw maybe once every few months for a decent bounty. Saw for repairs on his prosthetic when _that_ was an absolute necessity.

He _wasn't_ supposed to be someone that knew where all of Ravus' safe houses were, let alone have keys to them. He wasn't supposed to know Ravus had a little sister—especially in light of the fact that Caelum's group is around. And, they _sure as Hell_ weren't supposed to be close enough to warrant nicknames. To warrant the comfort Ravus feels when he wakes up with Loqi pressed close to his side. Close enough that Ravus spends every free moment he has worrying about whether or not the blonde is doing something stupid.

It's not that he doubts Loqi's ability to take care of himself; on the contrary, Ravus has witnessed enough incidents of people _trying_ to take advantage of the blonde and his... less than appealing bar habits. His willingness to use his body as a bartering tool _should_ have meant that Ravus kept him at a very carefully maintained distance. He's known from day one that Loqi wasn't above sexual favours, despite having high expectations. Honestly, the sexual favours _generally_ meant he got better results, since they weren't handed out regularly. Favours meant nearly classified information or product; and, anyone that tried to sell him short either ended up missing or finding a different contract.

What he _does_ doubt is the nigh blind faith he has in his father. Fear-based or not, his _last_ errand could have ended a lot differently. Even if Ravus had held his ground and refused the job, there wasn't a certainty that Loqi would've ended up dead. All it took was the _probability_. The fact that, despite everything, Loqi hadn't once questioned his father's orders. Hadn't questioned why he was being sent out to handle something as simple as payment, when he could have just as easily hit Galdin, made the meeting with Ravus in _much better time_ , and still been on time for any other errands.

All in all, the entire situation is more complicated than Ravus had anticipated; and, as he's heading down to the office to see about the apartment next to his, he wonders how horribly things are going to end when Caelum's group _does_ show up. If they'll still show up if Argentum's dead, rather. If nothing else, he's hopeful to see his sister… and, maybe, get some advice on what to do about Loqi when he does see her. … Hopefully without expounding on _too_ many details.

♦

Ravus hadn't been wrong in the least. Within five minutes of leaving the apartment, the only thing Loqi really registers is that it is _hot as Hell_. A heat that was worse than Hammerhead's weird heat; but, he ignores it in favour of looking over himself one more time as he heads down to his car. Not for the first time, he's grateful most of his stuff is already at Ravus' apartment. He has clothes at home, sure; but, they're mostly for meeting people _with_ his dad, as opposed to stuff _he_ likes wearing. Ravus' apartment has nearly twice as many clothes as his own closet, never mind the number of accessories he's left behind or bought and never got to wear. His father calls them 'useless trinkets' and barely tolerates the watch he got a few years ago. (To date, he's still not sure if his dad knows he was lying about buying it. Ravus bought it; but, it seemed like a... kind of bad idea to bring the point up at the time. It was easier to be berated for 'wasting money on useless trinkets' than to try explaining why a contact was buying him things.)

His jeans feel awful in this heat; as much as he loves tighter clothes, Lestallum is not a city to wear anything that clings. At the very least, he knows it'll be cooler in the bar, so... a few minutes longer of suffering will do. The sweater was definitely _not_ his best idea. Not by a long shot. It's not nearly heavy enough to be considered a winter sweater, but it's still thicker material than most of his shirts. ... Honestly, the fact he's burning up right now just makes him question how Ravus doesn't _die_ the second he walks out of his apartment in that long white coat. Especially since he knows, for a fact, that Ravus wears at least three shirts under that to keep the material from agitating where his prosthetic arm connects to flesh. He shakes his head a few times, filing the thoughts away for later; one day, he's going to figure out how Ravus stands wearing as many layers as he does. Not today, but _one day_.

For now, he just rolls the sweaters sleeves up to his elbows, carefully fluffing the bunched material so it's still hanging down his forearms, and reaches up to adjust his choker.  As much as he wants to wear more jewelry, he can't remember who all he's supposed to be meeting with. The choker, if nothing else, is a good way to busy his hands without tapping on the table and can't be swiped as easily as rings or bracelets. ... Not that anyone's _succeeded_ in stealing his stuff, but that doesn't mean they haven't _tried_.

The stop at his car is mostly for... essentials. His phone, certainly; but, also a pistol and a different wallet. As much as he really likes the wallet Ravus got him—sturdy, leather, something Loqi had spotted on one of their trips to Altissia—he hates taking it on jobs. Again, because he never knows if someone's going to try to steal his stuff. So, he stashes his wallet and the ring of apartment keys in his dashboard. The decoy wallet is an old project—something he made when he was probably fourteen and had nothing better to do one summer, while he was confined to his room; a simple metal case with a bio-scanner. Nothing fancy; but something to keep his car key and the Lestallum apartment key in, along with contact cards on the off chance he did make new contacts during his rounds. Payments were all digital and handled through his phone, so he wasn't too worried about carrying money on his person. Easy transfers once he confirmed the intel was what he expected; recommendations were as simple as shooting an e-mail to the right people; and, tech requests... well, he _could_ just memorise all the orders. But, for accountability purposes, he makes sure any and all tech upgrades are filed away in his phone and backed up to his laptop.

The second task is actually going through his phone. It takes a notable effort not to groan at the number of missed texts and calls he has. Things the can go through later; right now, he just needs to filter through them and find out who all he's supposed to be checking in with. He has a few hours until Hour Twenty-Five starts; if he's really lucky, he'll be able to finish before it does, or at least get close to finishing. The sooner he's done, the sooner he can head back to Hammerhead, gather as many of his projects as possible (specifically his two drones he needs to finish repairs on, maybe a few prototypes; mostly, he wants the ones that he _knows_ will be scrapped if he leaves them unsupervised too long), the sooner he can _get back_ to Lestallum, and the sooner he can forget almost everything. At least for a few days. A few days to really take in that he's finally out of Hammerhead again, that he's not sneaking around for quick trysts because _Astrals forbid_ his father or the adopted thing ever actually catch him _with_ Ravus. He's pretty sure they both know—well, he knows his father does. His father definitely knows; whether he knows that it's not always a form of payment... Loqi isn't really sure and, in light of everything they were talking about earlier, he doesn't really _want_ to know.

A frown crosses his face as he's going through his phone. Demands for answers. Lectures. Multiple missed calls and voice mails. Disappointment to sort through later. A small, quiet sigh escapes when he finally finds the information he needs. Not as many people as he thought—well. No, that's not quite right. It's definitely as many people as he thought; but, a number of the names have been greyed out, leaving him with a considerably smaller list. Usually his father only cancels payments if something _really_ bad happened... not that he really _cares_ , but it's still enough to make him curious. The remaining handful—four, total—are still people he doesn't want to deal with; but... it could be a _lot_ worse. As he's heading to the designated meeting place (a bar that's popular with local hunting groups), he starts setting up the materialistic payments. Two letters of recommendation and a reference sheet for what tech upgrades he can offer so, hopefully, all he has to do is send them through or deny them, depending on how the night goes.

Recommendations are first on his list, which is all fine and well, but... the third person is _definitely_ not someone he wants to deal with. An acquaintance of his father Loqi's been told should be treated with the _utmost_ respect. Personally, Loqi doesn't like him; the man isn't nearly as old as his father is, but his jobs are horrendously inconsistent. Some jobs he does spectacularly and Loqi's totally fine with the amount he's paying—usually a small monetary amount, maybe a short favour (that he kind of wonders if his dad knows about); but, other jobs... other jobs, just has Loqi questioning why his dad even _bothers_.

As hopeful as he wants to be—trying to hold onto surprisingly positive thoughts of ' _the sooner I'm done, the better_ '—he has a feeling it's going to be a long night.

♠

"So... what you're telling me is that you finished half the job. And expect a full payment?" Loqi feels his eye twitch, despite his best efforts to maintain a civil smile. As the annoyance sets in, one of his hands goes up to his neck, one finger hooking gently into the ring of his choker. He lets out a slow breath to collect himself. "Look. You don't finish the job. You don't get favours. You'll get compensation for what you did complete; but, I think I made it pretty clear that favours are only for exceptional jobs—"

"Exceptional or at your whims?" Loqi feels his jaw locking when his mouth snaps shut. He hates being interrupted. This was exactly why he didn't want to deal with this asshole. He doesn't care if the guy is friends with his father, he _always_ interrupts and either doesn't notice or, more likely, doesn't care that it _bothers the Hell_ out of Loqi. "Think you're sneaky, brat? Your dad know you're flouncing around with the Commander?"

"... Ugh, I can't believe you're all still using that stupid nickname." Unbidden—mostly from sheer disbelief—Loqi drops his head into both hands, finally leaving his choker alone, and letting out a long, exasperated breath. Ravus is going to love hearing that he still has that dumb nickname. Neither of them even remember how it started... though... Loqi kind of has a feeling he may have started it around the time they met, back when they still kind of hated each other. "But, regardless of what I am doing, or not doing, with Nox Fleuret... that really doesn't change the fact the job is still half finished. We'll pay for the shards. But I'm not paying full for shards and a nest that hasn't been cleared out. It wasn't even daemons; you were contracted to go during the day, deal with a few of those Sahagin, and bring back the scales and a few crystal shards. Honestly, even completing the job doesn't warrant me handing out any favours." He finally raises his head, hands falling back to the table and eyes narrowing in a glare, "The only reason I even offered was because you're friends with my father and usually have good information. So, unless you have something else to bring the table, you best start naming prices instead of trying to demand favours. You can go bitch at my father _after_ , if you like. But that _really_ doesn't change the fact you didn't finish the job and I bet he's going to _love_ hearing that."

The man barks out a short, disbelieving laugh, "What, and you think you're going off to finish the job? You want to end up with your head on a silver platter?"

"Ignoring I'm fully capable of clearing a nest on my own, we both apparently know that my father... doesn't tolerate me taking up hunts." Annoyance is slowly turning into a headache; and, as much as he shouldn't, he can't keep the snark from his tone when he continues. "Besides, like you said: I _am_ running around with Nox Fleuret. Could just ask him to finish the job. At least I know he would get it done—"

With a snarl, the man reaches across the table, somehow managing to catch the choker when he grabs Loqi's shirt and yanks him forward. Loqi barely manages to catch himself against his side of the table with one hand, while his other goes straight for his pistol. He doesn't draw, but he makes damn sure the man knows he is not above splattering his brains on the wall, "Let. Go."

"Or what? You shoot me? Good luck explaining that one." The man scoffs, showing no signs of releasing his hold on the ring. "You want extra incentive? How about your dad not finding out you're bedding contacts—a very _specific_ contact—outside of jobs? Or maybe he'd love to hear about the fact you keep ending up out in the field when we all know you're supposed to stay in city limits after sunset?"

"Who I am or am not fucking is literally none of your business or his!" Loqi tries to tug back; he lets out a low growl when all the motion gets him is leather cutting into his neck. He's going to end up having a bruise there, now, too and if _anything_ happens to his sweater.... "Besides, joke's on you, asshat: he already knows I'm fucking Nox Fleuret. And, far as any of you are concerned, it's because he actually does his damn job, instead of half-assing shit the way you idiots do. As to me in the field? I'm not hunting. I'm gathering materials and intel, which is what you lot should be doing. Now... you can either let go... or I can redecorate the booth with your brains. Your choice."

Before the man answers, he goes tense and a glint catches Loqi's attention. Specifically, a sword pressed against the man's neck—a very familiar sword at that, with an equally familiar voice issuing a warning.

"Let him go and see yourself out." Ravus' tone is cold. Colder than Loqi's used to hearing nowadays; it's enough to make him squirm uncomfortably. "His father's already charged me with keeping him out of trouble while he's here and if that means cutting down competition? I absolutely will."

Loqi coughs a little when he's released, immediately reaching to adjust his choker and rub where it cut into his skin before he smooths his sweater back into place. He scowls after the man before turning the look on Ravus, "I had it under control."

"Of that, I've no doubt." Ravus sheaths the sword, exhaling slowly. A sign he's not really as calm as he wants to portray. "I'd rather not inform your father you've managed to shoot one of his contacts on the first night."

He doesn't really have an argument to that. Instead, he lets the scowl turn into a curious expression, "Did he actually—?"

Ravus shrugs, lips twitching into a small smile, "Well, they can't rightly prove he didn't without admitting their own faults, now can they? Which job's unfinished?"

"Nice." Loqi bites down the laugh and shakes his head, "Don't worry about it. It's not worth the trouble this late at night. We can hit it later, after I pick my toys up. I've never actually seen a Sahagin up close. Sounds fun." He looks back down at the table before he really registers the situation and glances back up, "You haven't left yet?"

"Finished two clean-ups in the plant. The others are all outside of town. Just came to check in for the first two." Ravus leans on the table a bit, glancing around the bar, "Figure the others may be a bit more challenging if I wait a while. And, if you're anywhere near done…." He shrugs a little, letting the offer hang in the air. Loqi grins.

"Well… don't have any of my field equipment… but that's definitely never stopped me from going for any new intel. I just have to check on the tech guy. Dad crossed the other payments off for some reason… must've pissed him off." He shrugs to show he doesn't really care. The less running around, the better. He pulls his phone out, to check the time and also reassess his schedule. Given the considerable block of time that just opened up.... "So… wanna stick around, so this go faster? Or, we could drink, finish my stuff after the hunts, and—"

"We can drink when we get back to Lestallum." Ravus reaches over to flick his forehead, gently, before he cuts him off. It's better than people just interrupting him without warning… or, Loqi just doesn't mind as much when Ravus is the one interrupting him. Either way. "We finish your rounds, check the specifications for the hunts and take care of them. We'll head back to Hammerhead after midnight to gather essentials, and then—when we get back—you can have whatever you want."

He knows full that Ravus means drinks; but, he also isn't one to pass up _any_ opportunity and grins, "Oh? And is the esteemed Commander on that menu somewhere?"

He has to bite hard on his tongue to keep from laughing when Ravus startles at the nickname and throws him an annoyed look, "Why would you bring that up—wait, people aren't actually—?"

"Yeah, they are. I just found out a few minutes ago. I think that was reason enough to blow his brains onto the wall, but…." Loqi shrugs a little, chuckling under his breath at the look, "Chill. I don't think anyone, besides me, is stupid enough to say it to your face."

Ravus scowls at him a moment longer before turning away, but doesn't argue any further.

"Just tell your contact to hurry up. I will leave you here, otherwise."

Loqi smirks at his back, his attention going back to his phone as he texts his contact, "Uh-huh. Sure you will."


	3. Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> \o/ Finally got this chapter finished! Coincides with the events of chapter [Chapter 18](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10021934/chapters/25614156) through [Chapter 21](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10021934/chapters/25790571) (Basically. More like chapter 20, but kind of 21, too. Anyways) Direct follow-up to the previous chapter, too! ~~this got out of hand, save me~~
> 
>  **content warning** mentions of needle and blood being drawn towards the end!

They end up leaving Lestallum as soon as Hour Twenty-Five ends. After a very short-lived argument over which car to take (mostly on account that he's certain everyone would recognise Loqi's car if they happened to see it), they set out. Loqi, after fussing and arguing about wanting to keep his contacts in, finally agrees to wear his glasses and ends up sulking in the passenger seat. It's not that Ravus doesn't trust him driving; but, as he expects, the blonde falls asleep barely twenty minutes into the drive, curled up in the passenger-side chair, with Ravus' jacket acting as a pillow on the window and his glasses folded and mostly forgotten where they're hanging from his hand.

The silence is welcome; not that Loqi's mindless chatter is ever really _annoying_ but... the fact he's sleeping makes the silence a little less unsettling. Before Ravus can consider turning the radio on (partially wondering if it'll be enough to wake the blonde up), a familiar beeping begins to fill the car and he lets out a slow, strained breath to try reining his temper in as he pulls off to the side of the road.

They aren't even half-way there and Loqi's phone is vibrating at a steady rate with texts; the blonde sleeps right through it and Ravus barely manages to catch the phone before it falls into the floorboard. A quick glance at the screen, makes him sigh and he finally reaches over, gently shaking Loqi's shoulder to try waking him up. Initially, the only thing the attempt gets him is an annoyed grumble and half-hearted swat before Loqi pulls his knees up to his chest, curling up into a tighter ball to try getting away from the attempts to wake him. Regret filling his system, Ravus tries again, shaking him a little bit harder this time.

"Lo. Come on, you need to wake up for a second."

A few more tries and Loqi finally slaps his hand, as opposed to the half-hearted attempts he'd been making and manages to crack one eye open in a sleepy glare, "For fuck's sake, _what?_ "

"We're making a detour."

Loqi stares at him for a long second, like he's not really understanding the words before he frowns and finally sits up right, rubbing his eyes again and trying to take the information in as he slides his glasses back on. "What the fuck for? Where even are we?"

"Caelum's group is back. They found Argentum. I suspect they'll be staying in Hammerhead until he wakes up." Ravus makes a gesture. "The point is to avoid them. Your father seems to agree—"

Loqi finally realises Ravus has his phone and immediately snatches it away to look at the messages for himself. Ravus waits, patiently, for him to finish, his fingers drumming a bit on the steering wheel as he waits. The odd part, perhaps, is he can tell exactly when Loqi begins to get to the latest messages; the way his entire posture goes from tense, like he's expecting some sort of physical lashing from the texts, to slowly relaxing as he works over the information. After a few seconds, he begins typing out a response, only to pause a few taps in and glances over towards the driver side.

"So... where are we staying?"

"If I knew that I wouldn't have woken you up." Ravus rolls his eyes a little, "I know you aren't particularly fond of the caravans... but, it's either that or a haven. We aren't close to any motels right now, unless you'd rather drive back to Lestallum for the night."

"And risk crossing paths on the way there? Hell no." Loqi's attention drifts back to his phone, fingers swiping and tapping across the screen for a few minutes before he finally sighs. "Caravan it is, I guess. We're close to Coernix, right?" Ravus gives a short hum to show he's right and another grumbled curse fills the car. "It's supposed to rain around Alstor. Guess we're sleeping indoors. ... I hate caravans. Can't we just sidetrack and spend the day at Galdin, instead?"

  
"An entire day?" Ravus gives him an incredulous look, before pausing and sighing and glancing down at his watch. "Well... if we did make time to Galdin...." he cast a quick glance around them at the daemons lingering just outside of the safety of the car's headlights, lips setting in a thin line. "I'm sure your father would prefer we find somewhere safe to stay the night. If we make for the Quay now, we'd be making sunrise. A quick rest, a quick breakfast, we make Hammerhead by early afternoon and we should be safe on time to make it back to Lestallum."  
  
Loqi actually pouts for a moment before seeming to consider his options. He looks back down at his phone, fingers still hovering in mid-reply. "... So... what am I telling father?"  


Ravus goes quiet as he considers the routes from Hammerhead to the old compound. It's a bit further northeast of Lestallum, so they definitely wouldn't take the long route. If they pulled off to a haven or caravan now, there was always an unfortunate risk of crossing paths. Not that anyone would recognise his car... but, some were more keen to passing details than other. Immediately he considers Ignis, along with Luna. Weskham and Cor, both. Aurum, if he was really unlucky, would recognise his car at a mere glance. Taking a long detour along the south road wasn't a terrible idea.  
  
The problem with Galdin was it was much further out of their way than he would have liked to make a detour; but, on the other hand, if they did detour to Galdin, there was at least a slight chance he could convince Loqi to eat something more than the protein bar he'd forgotten about earlier.  
  
"If we make for Galdin, will you at least attempt to have breakfast after we rest?" It's a longshot; but, it never hurts to ask. Loqi gives him a blank look for a long moment, clearly weighing the consequences of saying 'no'. Not that Ravus has a ready argument or backup plan, but—  
  
"I mean. If you wanna risk running into them by staying on the main path, be my guest? We hit the southern region, we avoid them, right? You said the compound's outside of Lestallum. The only place it could reasonably stay hidden from most people is if it were on the north or east side; so, they're probably gonna take this road into the region, right?"  


He really hates how quickly Loqi can piece together information, sometimes. Before he can argue, the blonde shrugs a little, his voice going a bit quieter.  
  
"I'm not gonna promise, but, I'll try. Father's still... very irate. Honestly, even the thought of finishing the protein bar is making me feel sick. But, if you get us actual beds? I will try."  
  
It isn't much. But, it's better than nothing. So, with a sigh, Ravus nods his agreement and turns his attention back towards the road, "I suppose... tell your father we'll try to be in around noon. If nothing else, I can't imagine he'll have a problem with you being in Galdin, as opposed to out on the roads, at a haven, or staying at some small outpost. Galdin, at least, is much safer."  
  
Safer. A relative term. He feels a short, nauseating twist in his gut as he considers his job a few nights prior. Part of him is relieved that Caelum and Argentum both survived; his concern, now, is how their survival will impact Verstael's temperament towards his other son.  
  
♦

The second they pull into Hammerhead, Loqi casts a glance around for any sign of Caelum or his group. When no black cars enter his immediate vision he finally sits up a bit straighter in Ravus' car and shoots him a nervous look. Why, he's not really sure; but, he wagers it has something to do with the angry bruise under the layer of makeup that he spent well over twenty minutes fussing over earlier that morning. It's not so much he's scared of the group as a whole... but he'd rather avoid them if he can. So he tries to tell himself, anyways.

"So. Glad as I am we got to, y'know, take a bit of time coming here... you're _sure_ they left?"

"Positive." Ravus doesn't bother meeting his eye as he's exiting the car and makes a passing gesture for Loqi to hurry up.

"How positive?"

"Positive in that my sister called and left me voicemails asking to meet them at the compound if I was nearby." Ravus' tone deadpans. He lets out a slow breath and shakes his head, "I declined. Though, I'm sure she'll become rather insistent over time, if they're staying. Or if she finds out I'm in Lestallum."

Loqi tunes out within a few minutes. He doesn't so much _mind_ hearing about Lunafreya... he just... has no real connection to play off. He doesn't understand why Ravus cares or why Lunafreya cares or why they even bother keeping in touch with one another. When he's lucky, he only crosses paths with Argentum once a week. Sometimes more; but, he can usually go weeks at a time without seeing the thing his father tries to pass off as his brother.

A strange, mostly foreign sensation starts bubbling up in his core and makes him shift a little. It happens sometimes. Notably, whenever he's away from Hammerhead too long, he starts to feel uncomfortable. Starts to think about... things he's really not sure he actually remembers or if the crazy neighbours around his father's apartment are just finally getting to him. He thinks he remembers getting along with Argentum when they were kids. He thinks he remembers playing together on that stupid old playground that got shut down years ago, that he scavenged through for scrap parts when he wasn't allowed to buy parts for his drones.

He shakes it off before Ravus has a chance to ask and just gestures towards his father's apartment, "So? What are we waiting for? Let's get this over with, I wanna be back in Lestallum before sundown."

"Oh?" Interest fills the man's tone as they're walking; Loqi doesn't bother looking back at him, hoping to ignore the look he knows he's getting. "Any reason why?"

"Because daemons are a bitch on the road? Really? Did you just ask me that? You think father's going to let me leave if we have a chance of being out after sundown? You know he flips his lid if I'm outside of town after sunset."

They both know it's... mostly a lie. Verstael can't possibly know when Loqi's outside of town after dark; but there's always the _chance_ he'll find out. And then find out that Ravus isn't the only one fighting. Mostly, it's to keep from acknowledging that Ravus is still trying to convince him that his father's been lying to him and using him. He lets out a slow breath, thoughts of his father finally reminding him why he was being so avoidant to begin with and he begins fixing his hair over his face again.

Normally, he'd have taken more time to try styling it into the usual tuffed fluffs. But... with the rather angry swelling on his cheek, he does everything he can to cover it. The foundation had certainly helped a considerable amount. But, he'd hoped not styling his hair and leaving it down would be a _bit_ more helpful... until he remembers that Hammerhead has a miserable sort of dry heat that makes his hair refuse to sit flat and starts puffing up on its own. That also reminds him of the miserable choice he made to wear a track jacket over his tee-shirt; so not only is his hair being uncooperative, he's burning up in the jacket... but, it was either a jacket or a long-sleeved shirt. At least the jacket can be discarded later. He lets out an aggravated sigh, mostly to ignore the situation he walked himself into, as they're scaling up to the third floor.

"Why in Astrals' names is it that my hair _only_ cooperates when I don't care if it does? And the one time I _need_ it to settle a certain way it absolutely refuses? Why?" He turns on Ravus when he hears a short, amused snort, "Do not think for one moment I won't push you down those stairs, Nox Fleuret. Because I will."

"It looks fine." Ravus waves him off with an idle gesture. "You can barely see the swelling. Now leave it alone. The more you fuss, the more obvious it becomes that something's wrong."

"Not helping!" Loqi snaps; but, he finally lets his hair rest and just lets out another slow breath to gather himself. "And when father says something about it? Then what? You think he won't notice?" A rather disbelieving snort, despite a small bubble of fear down in his gut. "Don't make me laugh."

"If your father says anything, I will handle it." Ravus finally catches up so they're walking shoulder-to-shoulder and casts him a glance. "Just gather what you need so we can be on our way as quickly as possible. As you said... the sooner we're out of Hammerhead, the safer the roads will be."

Loqi glares at him for a few moments before he nods and hurries up the last flight of stairs. Before he can think to make another snarky reply, he feels every nerve in his body go on high alert.

The door to his father's apartment is wide open and, that alone is... alarming. More so, however, are the piles of... clothes? Loqi tilts his head and tries to assess just what he's looking at. Ravus breaks the silence first by crossing the short distance to investigate a pile of dusty looking... books? Notebooks? Binders? He's never seen any of these things, but they... kind of look familiar.

"Are these not your brother's?"

Loqi fights down the instinctual rebuttal in favour of kneeling to look at the clothes a bit closer and the stereo buried beneath them in hopes of recognising something. "I... think so, yeah...."

"Ah, there you two are. It's about time."

Loqi jumps at the unexpected voice and quickly straightens from prodding at the pile of clothes. He somehow manages to stand at attention without stumbling when he stands and lets out a slow breath. Ravus gives him a sidelong glance for a moment before his attention drifts back to Verstael and he finally straightens his own posture to give a polite tip of his head.

"Dr. Besithia. Our apologies for dropping in without announcing ourselves."

"And... thank you for the heads up yesterday, sir." Loqi lets out another breath, his attention inevitably drifting back to the piles of things outside. "If I may, why are Argentum's things cluttering the doorway?"

Verstael gives an idle, nonchalant shrug and looks at the piles, "These are merely things he apparently found no use for when he left. I had expected him to take a bit more; but, no matter. Clutter will be clutter. I have someone coming to gather it later. But, if he's no longer to be staying, it's one more room that can be used for research materials."

Loqi doesn't get a chance to comment any further; Ravus quickly steps around him before the conversation can continue and produces a small parcel from inside his jacket, "Speaking of materials. The polymer you requested. I'd considered leaving it with Caelum, but... well. I doubt he would have had any intention of delivering it with Argentum missing."

Loqi gives him a quick glance, quietly asking why he's even bringing the night up; but, his attention is quickly back on his father when the man takes the parcel with little more than a hum.

"Indeed. There was... considerable data to be gathered that night, but I suppose it's no matter for the time being. More opportunities will present themselves, I'm certain. I am, however, very curious as to why you even bothered leaving Caelum alive."

Ravus' eyes narrow, his lips setting in a thin-lined scowl. "Do not test my patience. I have done far more than enough jobs for you that I would turn down from anyone else. You'll forgive me for not tacking _murder_ onto the list. Especially as his is a group I would very much like to avoid creating conflict with. Your next question?"

"I suppose a group would be rather formidable for even you. No matter." Verstael waves him off, his attention drifting back to Loqi. "As you've not said anything, I will assume Nox Fleuret informed you there was a change of plans that night." In that moment, he finally seems to notice Loqi isn't wearing his usual 'business' attire and raises a brow in a show of disapproval.

Loqi shrugs one shoulder, carefully avoiding his father's gaze. Never make eye contact; eye contact was seen as a challenge, as disobedience. There were a lot of things Loqi was willing to push; that, however, wasn't one of the things, especially when he was already seconds from a lecture for something as minor as his choice in clothes. "Figured it wasn't really any of my business, given that I was relegated to a different task. ... He did, however, point out that perhaps the group for Keycatrich should not have been paid. Were we paying them for something else?"

"That is none of your concern, child. The letters of recommendation were drawn up, accordingly, I presume?"

"Of course, sir." It's nothing short of a miracle that Loqi doesn't flinch more than a mild twitch under the words; but, just as quickly he recovers and finally takes the conversation in a different direction, "If I may, sir... these are just going to be disposed of, right?" He nods towards the pile of clutter around the door. "If it's not too much... I could take some of his electronics. A bit of salvage. Just to get it out of the way faster."

"If you find anything you consider worth salvage, I don't see why not." Verstael raises a brow at him. "Do with it what you will. Anything left, however, I will consider useless."

"Thank you, sir."

"Gather what you need. I require Nox Fleuret's attention for a moment and I've an appointment to keep with the hospital staff. Walk with me." He makes a gesture towards Ravus, hardly waiting to see if he complies. Ravus and Loqi exchange quick looks—Loqi making a shooing gesture—before he finally follows, falling into place at the man's heel.

♦

Ravus waits until they're a bit further away to finally speak up, hoping he's out of Loqi's hearing range.

"If you don't mind: is there any particular reason Loqi was _not_ informed of the plan in the beginning? He could have just as easily handled the payment. He could have just as easily handled escorting Argentum to Keycatrich, as well." Ravus' eyes narrow, despite all attempts to maintain a sense of disinterest. "So. Why have me drop the boy in Keycatrich? You've no use for a corpse."

"Data comes in many forms, Nox Fleuret." Verstael doesn't offer much more on that front. The conversation goes flat until they're on the ground level and he finally turns, finally meets Ravus' eye and his own narrow in warning. "Let me make one thing perfectly clear. I am none too amused with Loqi's willingness to run off so suddenly. I am trusting you to keep that boy out of trouble."

"With all due respect, your son is more than capable of handling himself. He handles himself well with the contacts you send him to—the lot you sent him to the other night, that hardly deserved any sort of payment, in particular, never mind your rather hands-on associates in Lestallum." Ravus doesn't flinch away from the glare but does his best not to reveal anything too incriminating about either of them. "Do you have reason to believe he will be in danger in Lestallum?"

"My concerns are mostly the influence _you_ , very specifically, have on him." The answer is more than Ravus expects to get and equally alarming. Before he can ask for elaboration, the man makes a dismissive wave. "I am under no illusion the boy cannot fight. Just as I am well aware he has a tendency to break my rules around you. I hire salvage teams specifically to keep him out of fights and he still manages to end up going after them. At least, with you, I can mostly rest assured he's staying out of trouble. Allow me to amend my last statement." When he makes eye contact, his expression is void of any real concern. Even the frown doesn't hold much of anger so much as annoyance. "If he is harmed in absolutely any way whatsoever, Caelum's group is going to be the absolute least of your concerns and this... power, you two seem convinced you have, will not be able to protect you. Do we understand one another?"

It's always a bit unsettling, knowing someone knows about Alexander that isn't a hunter or even aware of Hour Twenty-Five—at least to Ravus' knowledge, he isn't. Before he can do much more than give a slow, affirmative nod to show he _does_ understand, Loqi's calling down from an open window facing the streets, "Father, when you're done with him, may I have his assistance, please?"

When Ravus casts a glance upwards, he nearly swears when he sees Loqi _leaning_ out of the window; not just enough to call attention, but most of his upper body leaning out of the window. As much as he wants to tell him not to, he also knows there's a certain level of... professionalism that's meant to be maintained around his father. Thankfully, perhaps, Verstael sees it as well and makes an aggravated sigh and a dismissive gesture towards his son. "Cease your asinine stunts, before you injure yourself. He'll be along in a moment." Loqi just shrugs and pushes off the sill to head back inside; Verstael turns back on Ravus. " _Those_ habits, in particular, I would remind you to monitor. I will be back shortly. I need to speak with Loqi before the you leave, as well. Hasten with this packing process. I expect his things to be removed by the time I get back."

Sheer will alone allows Ravus to keep the annoyance from his face, from the slow breath he releases when he gives another nod to show he understands, even as his attention slowly drifts back to the apartment window before he heads back for the stairs. He's no stranger to Loqi's... less than healthy interest in doing things he shouldn't. Aggravating daemons was one thing; they could handle that  together. His nonchalant attitude towards sex as a payment was another habit that Ravus had long given up trying to control. It was... definitely better than when they'd first met; but, still not something he'd been able to cut out of Loqi's routine all together. Manageable, though. The worst habits to combat, though, are things like _that_ —times he'll just lean over something he shouldn't, lean out of a window too far or too long, lock up for days at a time because he gets wrapped up in whatever project he's started. With any luck, being away from Hammerhead, away from the restrictions of his father's 'my house, my rules' standards, those incidents would see a steady decline.

As he gets back up to the third floor, he sees the piles of clutter all neatly rearranged into various piles. It still looks an absolute mess—but, now the clothes are all folded and stacked together; the books are all stacked against the wall, along with binders and notebooks, allowing for room to walk. The most notable piece missing is the stereo that had been buried beneath the clothes. As much as Ravus wants to say he isn't surprised... he also has an overwhelming need to lecture the blonde on taking things that aren't his, even if his father gave him permission. The possessions weren't either of theirs to take and, honestly, the whole thing is unsettling. If it wouldn't rouse suspicion, Ravus wouldn't mind taking the clothes and books as well to leave at the compound. Questions from Luna were easier to handle than questions from Verstael, in some aspects... but, there would still be far too many interested questions if he suggested they take everything. Questions he wasn't willing to answer in case the man really _wasn't_ aware of his connection to the group.

He shakes the thoughts off and finally heads inside, trying to figure out where Loqi got off to. The second he steps through the door, however much he may or may not have expected the results, he gets an answer with the blonde yanking on his arm so they both stumble into the nearest wall. Ravus manages to at least catch himself with his free arm braced against the wall and just gives Loqi a mild glower, "Truly?"

"What? Father has a meeting or something, right?" Loqi grins up at him, releasing his arm in favour of pulling him closer by his jacket, "One kiss."

"We need to be finished moving everything by the time he gets back—"

"Then, shut up and kiss me." Another insistent tug on his jacket. If he's back to making demands instead of just initiating things himself... honestly, Ravus isn't sure this is good or not. It _should_ mean that he's back to himself and not stressed out the way he was when he showed up in Lestallum. But, given that they're standing in the entrance to his father's apartment, with the door still wide open, and _neither of them_ know when the man's expected to return... he sighs a little and shakes his head.

"One kiss?" An affirmative hum and Loqi finally leaves his jacket alone in favour of reaching up to curl his arms around Ravus' neck.

"Just one, then we get the Hell out of here."

It's a short promise; but, one that Ravus can't find an immediate reason to argue with. One kiss—one that doesn't even involve Loqi's normal tricks or attempts to instigate anything further—and he finally lets out a small sigh, relaxing back against the wall and offering a slightly softer smile—still more a grin than a smile; but, better than nothing—and a small, one shouldered shrug. "See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"

"Your father is going to behead me if he ever catches onto this." Ravus shakes his head, pressing a quick kiss to his forehead before he steps back and looks around, "I'm assuming you've already gathered things."

Nothing looks too far out of the ordinary in the entranceway. The small stack of electronics is piled up inside the door—the stereo and some other odds and ends that got left behind, though there isn't much—but... nothing that looks like Loqi's. When he turns his attention back to the blonde, he's gesturing over his shoulder, "My stuff's always packed and ready to go. Just need to grab the totes. Figure it'd be a bit easier with two people."

"...How much do you plan on bringing exactly?"

"Well, given he just emptied Argentum's room, I'm not leaving anything behind." Loqi scoffs a little, "It's not much. Not like I can keep a lot here, anyways. But I'm not taking any chances. He doesn't like any of my drones anyways." He shrugs again, to show he doesn't care too much, and turns to head down the hall. Barely a few steps and he stops cold and Ravus nearly runs into his back. Before he can think to ask, Loqi quickly crosses a few steps to an open door and closes it with a little more force than necessary, clearly shaken. When he doesn't immediately step away from the door, Ravus crosses to put a light hand on his shoulder, trying to get his attention back; the gesture results in Loqi actually _jumping_ and jerking back away from the door—and Ravus, in the process—before he lets out a slow breath.

"Sorry. Sorry, right... uh... my room's back this way, that just...." He makes a gesture, not seeming to really notice he's telling Ravus information he already knows, and finally takes a few steps to start heading back down the hall. "Not supposed to be left open. I mean. Guess it doesn't matter if Argentum isn't here, but... just... weirds me out a bit when the lab's open and father isn't home. ... Or... ever, honestly." He makes a vague gesture to show the conversation is closed and Ravus lets the topic drop.

He's only been in the office—lab, whatever it is—once and that was years ago. Loqi hardly seemed uncomfortable _in_ the room... but, now that he thinks about it, any time he's ever been in the apartment for any reason, the door is closed. Even if Verstael was the only one home or if Loqi were home as well—the two people that actually knew what was in the room—the door was closed. He doesn't think he's ever seen Argentum anywhere near the door, either. So... it isn't entirely surprising that Loqi would find it odd; but his reaction was more a statement of actual fear than just a small habit he picked up. He lets the thoughts go when they reach the end of the hall. One of the doors is already open and Loqi finally seems to shake the unsettled feeling when he leans in for a few seconds to look around, "Huh... guess he wasn't kidding...."

Ravus leans in over him to look as well. There's still some clutter in the room—a corner table, a bed, and some clothes still stashed in the closet. Loqi looks around for a few minutes before letting himself in and going straight for the table in the corner before Ravus could stop him. He barely rummages around for a few minutes before he has a small handful of various trinkets—most notably a rather ancient looking camera—turns on his heel and heads across the room like he hadn't just taken even more things that aren't his.

"Loqi." He tried not to sound exasperated but he _really_ didn't understand why he was even bothering. Most things Argentum owned, Loqi wouldn't hesitate for a minute to call obsolete or worthless. But, that quite apparently didn't stop him from taking what he could for salvage. "Truly? Is it not enough your father's getting rid of his things?"

"Hey, if he wanted to store stuff, he could've used old man Sophiar's garage or Aurum and Highwind's place. You think I stash all my stuff at your place for _fun_?" A short, disbelieving snort follows, as he pushes open another door and lets himself in.

The first thing Ravus notices about the room—that he always notices when he's in here—is the bare minimum in it. A bed. A workbench. And... that's it, honestly. Even the workbench is clutter free: scraps and salvage are all carefully organised in various totes, neatly stacked beneath the bench; tools are organised in a worn out toolbox, carefully aligned to the left corner of the desk, right next to a short, meticulous line of pencils and pens. Old composition books and folders of loose leaf papers are neatly stacked on the right side, coloured only by the number of page markers sticking out of them. Ravus still doesn't quite understand the coding system; but, Loqi knows what each marker stands for and knows exactly how to find what he needs. Overall, after finally seeing Argentum's room, Ravus can see a rather painful difference between the two—between the actual feeling of someone having _lived_ in the room, as opposed to the room just… being there. Existing. Barely existing, at that, given the meticulous condition the room is in.

 

As he steps in, he glances at the wall next to the door and, as he expects, finds the chain lock dangling harmlessly there.

"I don't think I'll ever not be astounded your father let you install a lock on your door." He admits after a moment, watching Loqi set his pilfered materials inside one of the less-filled totes. The observation earns another snort.

"He didn't. He was angry as Hell when he first noticed." Loqi shrugs, heading over to his closet. In stark contrast to the ensembles he keeps in Ravus' apartment, his own closet is as bare as the rest of his room and equally, frighteningly prim and proper. A few button-ups—all long-sleeved, presumably to keep his arms carefully hidden, given that Ravus knows how much he loathes the heat—and carefully ironed slacks. Business casual and always unsettling to see, when Ravus is used to seeing what he wears away from home. What's even less surprising is when he starts producing his drones from the depths of his closet—the two attack drones, first; then, a third one he's never seen, and that annoying little monitor droid that Ravus _loathes_.

Loqi sets them on the bed before he continues his story. "I got away with it by saying someone was messing with my stuff. Didn't point fingers, but... you know how I am with my stuff." An explanatory gesture; Ravus hums to show he _does_ know. Loqi is, if nothing else, extremely particular about how his things are left. "So, I came home one day—I think I was still in junior high—and some of my things were just... that _little bit_ off. I mean, Hell, might not've been Argentum, I don't know and I don't care. This was back when we used to keep the windows open because it was hot as _Hell_ all the time. So I put a lock on my window, a latch _and_ a lock on my door... and father was _furious_ until I pointed out that it wasn't _just_ my stuff that had been rifled through. Argentum wouldn't ever admit it, but he was rather frazzled, as well. I heard him talking about it with Aurum, that he couldn't find... something. A bag? Don't know, don't care. It gave me the leeway I needed to keep my locks."

"And then your father miraculously finally called to have the air-conditioning units repaired." The statement is meant to be sarcastic; but, he still isn't surprised when Loqi gives an idle nod.

"And decided to freeze the place out? Yeah. Kinda made having blood drawn more of a pain in the ass, but... hey, I'll take the cold over the heat any day." Loqi shrugs again to show he doesn't think it's too weird and disappears back into his closet, soon emerging with a rather large backpack that he carefully packs the two attack drones into. "Alright... so... you wanna carry these or the totes?"

"As though you'd trust anyone to transport your drones." Ravus rolls his eyes, moving back to the bench to test picking up a few of the totes. They're reasonably heavy; but, not enough to warrant more than maybe two trips to secure all three of them. "Must you bring the little terror droid, though?"

"A: He's not a terror." Loqi scowls, securing the tiny droid inside his jacket pocket, and shoulders the bag with the two drones in it before he picks up the third one in his arms, "B: If I didn't trust you with them, I wouldn't have asked. Let's just get this stuff down to your car."

The trips are much quieter than Ravus is used to; presumably because Loqi really is desperate to leave before it gets too late and his father has a chance to try 'convincing' them to stay for the night. Either way, as expected, it takes two trips—with Ravus carrying two of the totes down at a time (a heavier one and the toolbox; the two lighter totes the second trip) and Loqi making sure all of his drones are secure—six in total, though Ravus hasn't the foggiest what four of them are for—along with two more smaller droids he's never seen. Before they can go up a third time—to secure the stereo and his notebooks—Verstael returns and alerts both of them to his presence with a vaguely interested hum.

"You're almost done, I presume?"

Again, Loqi jumps to attention, despite a short moment of apprehension. He'd discarded his jacket after the first trip and always seemed much more unsettled whenever he was around his father in short sleeves. If it were around anyone else, Ravus would understand his unwillingness to have the bruises along his arms seen; but, with his father... honestly, he isn't sure. It's not as though the tee is less business casual than his button-ups. Just... shorter sleeves. He's drawn from his thoughts when Loqi speaks up and notices him making vague gestures up towards the apartment. A nervous habit; but, one he can't really stop without physically grabbing his wrist. And physical contact was a very strict thing between them when his father was present, so, all he can do is give him a pointed look to try telling him to calm down.

"Yes, sir. One more trip should do it—" Loqi misses the look altogether (or just doesn't care about it); but, he immediately goes still again when his father cuts him off. A vague twitch crosses his features but he doesn't argue the way he would with anyone else that interrupted him.

"A task Nox Fleuret can see to, then?" Verstael gives them both an expected look, "Loqi, if you'll come with me. We need to speak before you leave. And for Astrals' sakes, grab your jacket, child."

"Yes, sir." Loqi shifts a bit, waiting for his father to walk away before he leans into car through the open window to grab his jacket. He stalls before he follows and turns to Ravus, "Uh... forget the clothes, I can get new ones, uhm. Just... just the stereo and my notebooks? I should have an empty box in my closet—"

"Loqi!"

He flinches and darts for the building, quickly joining his father at the top of the first flight of stairs. Ravus watches the short exchange—is honestly surprised when Loqi doesn't immediately put his jacket on—and then waits until they're at the second floor before he starts after them. Hopefully, with this in the past, he can finally get Loqi to _listen_ and realise that his behaviour around his father really isn't normal. Not that Ravus has much comparison to make; but, if nothing else, he should be able to help him see there's a difference between the tense atmosphere around the apartment and being in Lestallum, _away_ from his father.

♦

"Sorry, sir." Loqi hastily tries to excuse himself when he catches up, his jacket clutched tight to his chest. He really doesn't want to put it back on... but, at least he knows it'll be cooler in the apartment and slightly more appropriate for wearing a jacket. "I was just ensuring he knew what to grab—"

"I had assumed having him help would mean you would be done in a timelier manner." Verstael doesn't bother looking at him, instead making a vague gesture to be followed. "No matter. I assume you have necessities, along with your toys?"

He hates how easily the projects are brushed off; but, he bites it down and gives a slow nod, slowly loosening the hold on his jacket to put it back on. "Yes, sir. Just need to grab the last few workbooks and the extra salvage from Argentum's things. They aren't worth _much_... but, some parts are better than none."

The explanation isn't met with anything more than a hum; his father finally glances over his shoulder when he hears the jacket material rustle. "Don't bother. You'll only be taking it off again in a moment."

Loqi tilts his head to one side in a curious gesture; the curiosity barely lasts a second before the logic hits him and he goes a little pale, "Oh. Of course, sir."

Panic slowly begins to set in his system, though he does his best to fight it down and tries to remember when he ate last. He hadn't eaten anything in Lestallum—anxiety and restlessness making his stomach turn into knots that refused to settle with food—and... he thinks Ravus tried to get him to eat after they left. He might have taken a few bites out of a protein bar before he fell asleep in the car. Did he have breakfast? He remembers downing a water bottle and... maybe finishing that protein bar. He remembers a short argument with Ravus— _insisting_ he would eat as soon as they left Hammerhead so he could actually have something that wasn't from the diner and well outside of his father's range to berate him for eating.

He doesn't realise they're back in the apartment until the cold air jars him from his thoughts and he becomes aware of his father... maybe talking to him?

"I could have sworn I left the office open. Odd."

It was _supposed_ to be open? Loqi shifts a little, discomfort settling heavy as he tries to play it off, "My apologies, sir. I closed it, thinking you wouldn't want it open with Nox Fleuret passing through the apartment."

"Ah. Yes, a valid point. It would be unfortunate if he were to go prodding about things that were none of his concern." His father dismisses the topic with an idle gesture. Loqi resists the urge to point out that's what they'd been doing, in throwing Argentum's things out. He just moves over towards the chair in the corner, letting out a slow breath and clenching his right hand a few times to try shaking the anxiety again. The marks from the last time he had blood drawn are finally fading; but, he doesn't pay them much mind in favour of staring at a spot on the far wall to keep from watching the blood being drawn.

One tube filled. Two. A third. He lets out another breath, trying to ignore how light-headed he's starting to feel; before he can stand, the realisation that the needle is still in his arm nearly makes him jump. It's only the acute awareness of how horrible an idea that is that keeps him still. He still tenses up and lets out a small hiss when he actually feels a pinch of pressure this time. When he glances at his arm, his father is giving him an unamused look.

"I do not believe I said we were finished. If you're going to be running off, I will quite unfortunately require more samples than I normally would."

"Sorry, sir." Loqi relaxes back against the chair, taking a slow, deep breath to try regulating it once more. It's been a _long_ time since he's had more than three tubes filled during a draw. He stops counting after the twelfth vial, only vaguely aware of his surroundings at this point. Aware enough to notice when his father needs to find a new vein to drawn from and that blood is being drawn from his left arm at some point; but, otherwise, he just keeps his focus on the wall.

He isn't even really aware that the tests have stopped until he feels a remarkably warm hand on the inside of his wrist and startles back to present thought, blinking hard a few times. Tiny lights start flashing in his vision and he has to screw his eyes shut for a few seconds with a short groan. Ravus' voice is the first one he registers and _that_ is what finally makes him try to focus on his surroundings again.

"This? _This_ is exactly what we spoke about _last time_ I had to get involved with him having blood drawn." It's unsettling to hear Ravus upset. A moment longer and he realises what's happening; but, despite a rush of panic, he can't find enough energy to react.

"I barely took twenty vials." His father sounds annoyed. The same way he does whenever Ravus gets involved with anything involving him, honestly. "Nowhere near the pint normally drawn for donations. Now, if you _don't mind_. The sooner I finish this, the sooner the two of you can _leave_. Quite specifically, you can excuse yourself back to the hallways, Nox Fleuret."

Unbidden, Loqi finds himself catching Ravus' jacket sleeve before he can pull his hand away. He still feels sick but he manages to shake it off enough to meet his father's eye, "My apologies, father. He's only doing this because I—" he hesitates for a brief moment before biting it down. There's no reason for his father to be angry with Ravus for something Loqi did. "I haven't actually eaten since before I left Keycatrich. I'll be all right to finish."

Verstael gives both of them a look of quiet judgement; Loqi focuses on that, rather than the fact Ravus is glaring at him.

"You _should_ have mentioned that earlier, Loqi." Feigned disappointment. Loqi just gives an absent nod to keep from thinking too long on it. "A full pint would be too much, I suppose. Another ten vials, however, should be well within his body's limitations. Or are you going to fuss over that as well?"

"I _should_ ," Ravus' teeth are ground together; strained civility and a slow breath to regain himself. "I would like to think you're aware of your own son's anemia. But, I also know I won't actually win this argument."

Ravus still doesn't leave, even after a moment longer of the hostile glares from his father. He stays for the last ten vials, hand still resting over Loqi's wrist so two fingers are pressed against his pulse. When the needle is finally removed for good, Loqi lets out a breath he didn't even realise he'd been holding and lets his eyes close for a few seconds to try getting his bearings. The anxiety washes away with the exhaustion and just serves to remind him that he _is_ hungry. When he chances glancing at his arms, it takes the entirety of his will not to groan at the angry bruising and agitation already beginning to show inside his arms. It's going to take him _weeks_ to get rid of those. He makes a vague gesture for his jacket, doing his best not to move his arms or right hand more than he needs to, "Ok. I'm freezing. Nox Fleuret if you don't mind?"

In a more aware state, he might be a bit more hostile when Ravus helps him stand and into his jacket. The most he manages is a short, tired hiss and vain attempts at swatting the man away. He quickly ceases the attempts when they make him sway and barely manages to steady himself by grabbing onto the arm closest to him.

"If that was all, father?" Loqi tries to mind his tone; but, honestly, he wants nothing more than to curl up in a ball and not move for at least the next week. "I hate to rush, but getting back to Lestallum before sunset would be most ideal."

"Of course." His father doesn't bother acknowledging either of them, his focus instead on labeling the vials of blood with dates and shorthand notes. Any other time, Loqi may be curious and focused enough to try seeing what the notes say; right now, it's really all he can do to keep his eyes open and stay upright. "I expect an update when you get to Lestallum, so I know everything is alright. Understood?"

Oddly enough, the command seems to be aimed at Ravus, as opposed to both of them; but, Loqi still answers before another argument can start. "Yes, sir. We'll be on our way then."

The walk down to the car feels a lot longer than it should. Loqi knows perfectly well it's because he has to stop at the landing for each staircase to find a sense of balance; but, even then, he swats away the attempts Ravus makes to help him past a steadying arm. At one point, the man offers to carry him; the offer is quickly retracted with a short glare. The second they're in the car, Loqi nearly collapses in the passenger seat, breathing a little bit heavier than he should be and trying to pull his jacket closer. He gives up on protesting when Ravus covers him in his own jacket. He's still freezing... but, the little bit of extra warmth is welcome and he finally lets himself relax a little.

"One word," he starts, before Ravus has a chance to say anything, "And I swear I will go the first week not talking to you. Let's just get the Hell out of here. I need food before I actually do pass out. _Real_ food, not any of those grease traps from the diner."

"Considering your idea of 'real food' is a salad, you'll pardon me for being skeptical." Still, Ravus doesn't argue much further as he turns the keys in the ignition. "Fine. We'll find somewhere to stop on the way. Try to drink a little bit of water until we get there?"

Loqi makes an annoyed face at him for the prodding. But, a moment longer and he finally complies to grabbing a water bottle from the backseat.

"I swear you're the only person I know that keeps water bottles just lying around their car." The blonde grumbles for a few seconds as he's fighting with the cap on the bottle. After too many failed attempts he finally makes a frustrated noise and holds the bottle out at Ravus, "Open the damn thing before you start driving, otherwise I'm going to throw it out the goddamn window."

Ravus gives him a curious look—something that could almost be an affectionate smile; but, Loqi doesn't let himself focus on that and instead mumbles a quick thanks before he starts chewing on the rim of the bottle. Just a few bites—an old habit he's had for far longer than he can remember--before he finally takes a sip. The second the water hits his tongue it _really_ hits him; just how thirsty he is. It takes a considerable effort not to just down the entire bottle in a single go. He manages, somehow, and just stares out the window between sips, trying to keep the jacket closet to his body the entire time in some vain attempt to keep warm. In passing, he finally realises that Ravus turned the air conditioning off at some point and shoots him a sleepy look, trying to assess how well he's holding up.

"You're weird."

Not what he meant to say. But, not a lie, either. Something he's almost always _kind of_ thinking. Ravus spares him a glance at the next intersection before he turns. "What did I do to earn such an observation _now_?"

"Nothing. Not really. Kind of. Aren't you burning up?" His thoughts feel painfully disjointed and it takes far more effort than he's used to, stringing together more than a few coherent thoughts and words. "You can turn the air on, it's not going to do anything to me."

"So you say." His tone is wary, but he still shrugs one shoulder. His eyes remain on the road this time. "I'm fine. The heat doesn't bother me nearly as much as it does you. You staying warm is more important, either way."

Loqi doesn't have an argument for that--well... he does. Just not enough energy to make it. Instead, he turns his attention back out the window, mulling over the past hour or so. The entire time in Hammerhead.

"So... thanks. For... for getting me out of the blood drawing, I mean." He pulls the jacket closer for some sense of security. He really wishes he'd grabbed his sweater before they left. He really should have seen this coming and should have been prepared with more than just a track jacket. "I mean... I kind of knew father would want to draw blood. It's kind of a bit of a waste, driving between Hammerhead and Lestallum just to donate blood once a week, right? Especially if I'm going to be out of commission for a few hours at a time with each drawing and he probably doesn't want me taking up my room if I'm supposed to be keeping an eye on Argentum. Doesn't make much sense, right—"

"Lo." His mouth snaps shut and he nearly ducks under the jacket in an attempt to avoid the exasperated tone. But, Ravus just sighs and reaches over, gently running a hand through his hair to give his neck a gentle squeeze. A reassuring gesture and one of the few that Loqi isn't opposed to being initiated. "Slow down. You already know my stand on your father drawing blood. Especially as much as he does."

"A pint really isn't that much." Loqi points out. "That's standard for blood tests."

"A pint from someone who is _anemic_ is a considerable amount, though. Especially when it was as often as it used to be." Ravus sighs, finally pulling his hand back. He spares Loqi an amused smile when the lost contact earns an unbidden whine of disappointment. "When we get back to Lestallum you can be spoiled as much as you like. For now, we need to find you something to eat. ... If we take the long way, along Caem, we could stop at that little farmer's stand you like."

"The one by the light house?" Loqi perks up a little at that, mostly to keep from focusing on the fact Ravus is right about how often he used to have his blood drawn. Back before they were even kind of friends; back when he had blood drawn every three days. Never pints every three days; but, at least a quarter of a pint, sometimes half. It was easier to draw blood from Loqi, after all, since he knew he was part of an experiment. Argentum—now that he was older and Highwind was much more protective than years prior—was hardly ever drawn from anymore. It's actually been a few years since his father drew blood from Argentum, at least as far as Loqi knew.

Then again....

He shifts a little, an uncomfortable feeling settling in his gut. How much does he _really_ know? How much of it is a lie? Does he really have anything concrete to go on, anymore? He didn't know about the Keycatrich job. He didn't know what Ravus was doing that night. He still isn't even positive why his father would have possibly considered leaving Argentum there. A test? Testing whom, though? Argentum or Ravus? Caelum, even? His father's obsession with Caelum, recently, has been more than a little unsettling. Enough that even Loqi could see something was _wrong_. Did his father know Caelum had an Aeon? Was that even possible? Loqi's still trying to wrap his head around that part, himself, honestly. Does his father know about Odin? He knows about Alexander. That was an agreement from back when Loqi had obtained Odin—an agreement he still loathes, but he... kind of understands. Father had been skeptical about Alexander; but the mention of the Aeon had been what sparked his father's interest in keeping Ravus around. Did he believe in Aeons? There were... vague texts from _ancient_ research in Niflheim that alluded to beings that sounded like Aeons. Things Loqi had only kind of seen in passing; but still enough to be etched into his memory.

He sighs and puts his head back against the window. He decides right then that, however long this stay away from Hammerhead is going to be... it's going to feel longer than it should, but....

When he casts a cursory glance towards the driver side, he feels a small quirk of a smile trying to take over his expression. Maybe it won't be so bad. He's only half listening to what Ravus is trying to tell him, honestly; most of the words register in the foggy haze his mind's in. Instead of focusing too heavily on that, he finishes the water bottle off and gives a mild yawn. "Wake me up when we get there, Rae."

"You really shouldn't sleep." Ravus points out; but, he still doesn't make any active effort to keep him awake. "Will you be alright if I turn the radio on?"

Loqi gives a short, sleepy hum to try conveying affirmation; he's fast asleep before Ravus actually settles on a station.


	4. Distractions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It only takes a few minutes-one event-to make everything fall apart.  
> ♠  
> Coincides with [Chapter 28](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10021934/chapters/26250939)!!! 
> 
> (This has been done for like a week I'm so sorry. minor warning for background OCs \o\\)

All things considered, Loqi's feeling much better away from Hammerhead.

It takes the better part of the first week for him to feel even remotely healthy enough to actually leave the apartment—not to really _explore_ … but, well enough that he could follow Ravus around and do what he was _supposed_ to be doing out in Lestallum. Regardless, the second he’s able, he’s out of the apartment in some vain hope it means he’ll be free of being fussed over. It earns him a few annoyed looks, but at least _those_ he can handle a lot better than being stuck in bed and worried over. He’s not really sure when he stopped enjoying being spoiled; but, the more Ravus worries, the less he wants to be stuck recovering and the more he wants to be outside where he can actually do something fun. … Mostly fun, at any rate.

He still has to run errands for his father every few days—mostly associates that his father pays specifically for information on daemon activity in the surrounding area or for general gossip—but overall... it's nice to be out of the apartment. It's nice not to have the ridiculous curfew—home by nine (unless he had a job to run), at the very latest, blood work between nine-thirty and eleven, and then holing up in his room until Hour Twenty-Five passes; he doesn't mind watching people crystalise... but there's something uncomfortable thinking about seeing his father crystalise. Either way, being away from Hammerhead means no curfew. It means going out more often and, for the first time, actually getting to see Lestallum. It means getting to tour the power plant and the factories and the open air market, instead of just hanging around the bars to meet contacts.

That, by absolutely any means, does not stop him from hanging around the bars. His favourite is still the hunter bar with the middle-aged woman that knows Ravus. He's never really asked about it; but, he's seen the two spend an entire evening talking while Loqi found other ways to amuse himself. Amusement ranged anywhere from gambling to flirting and, sometimes, to quickies. Handjobs or blowjobs for free drinks; and, sometimes sex if there was something worth it. So far, no one has had anything worth putting sex on the card for... though, there was someone, around the middle of the second week, that nearly beat Loqi at a game of poker where sex _was_ a prize if anyone managed to beat him. He's almost disappointed that he won the game; but, when it came down to it... he still preferred winning. Especially when it came with free drinks _and_ fun jobs for him and Ravus to go on later. …Well. For _Ravus_ to go on while Loqi "tagged along for intel-gathering purposes."

Not being confined to his room also means he's working a lot more on his own projects. It's not as though he didn't have the time or permission to work at home; but... the will to work was definitely lacking when he was cooped up. Most of what he worked on at home was pure necessity—trying to find new ways to configure his drones and Ravus' prosthetic to rely on crystals less. He knew it was impossible to completely remove the crystal-based power from technology; but the strain on the crystals was upsetting, at best. Not just in terms of efficiency (which is his argument when his father asks why he even _cares_ ... he doesn't. Really, he doesn't. He just _hates_ inefficiency) but... honestly, it was a little unsettling asking for as many crystal fragments as he did. It's not as though he asks for full crystals—he knows those are specifically for his father's research—but it's still... upsetting sometimes. And it's not as though he can just suddenly expect his father to believe that the crystals he's been studying are the literal only power source for technology during an Hour that most people don't even know exist. Even the 'crystal-powered technology is more efficient against daemons' argument sounds absolutely insane; but, it gets Loqi what he wants. Most of the time.

As much as he wants to reduce the strain on the power source; he knows the potential fatality if he messes up anywhere. If his drones suddenly overheat during Hour Twenty-Five; if Ravus' arm gives out, despite how many times the other man tells him that he doesn't _need_ his left arm to fight efficiently. He fights _better_ with full control of the prosthetic and that's all Loqi really cares about.

He knows and absolutely accepts that _those_ are necessary projects... but, sometimes he wants to work on something a little less stressful. Like the small, spider-like drone he's currently rewiring. His father hates Webs (and refuses to acknowledge that Loqi named the little spider), just because Webs has absolutely no purpose whatsoever. Loqi had built it on a whim probably three years ago, just because he _could_ and had nothing better to do while he was on bed rest. Originally, Webs was supposed to monitor vital signs—specifically, he was like a small storage unit that kept a careful eye on Loqi's pulse, blood pressure, and temperature throughout the day. He's still not sure where that went wrong; Webs had spent days trying to tell him that his cortisol levels were out of range—among other things—before Loqi finally turned the monitoring functions off. Now, his primary function was annoying the ever loving out of Ravus. Loqi smiles a little to himself, carefully reattaching the leg he was working on, when he thinks about it.

Ravus isn't overly fond of Webs, either; his complaints, though, tend to be that—ever since Loqi installed the little speaker and microphone on the spider, essentially making him a mobile walkie-talkie—Loqi doesn't leave his workshop without incentive. Either because he sent Webs to check on dinner or see what he was working on. Which is why Webs is currently under the operating light. Accidental as it may have been, Ravus had broken one of his sensors when the spider had tried to scale up the man's leg and ended up getting knocked off. Loqi knew that was his own fault, entirely; but, he still gave Ravus a hard time until the man finally agreed to making a nice dinner.

For other people, it may have been romantic or fancy or even just nicer than normal. Maybe some small part of Loqi wanted it to be like that; but, mostly, he just enjoyed the smaller details whenever he got his way with bribing Ravus for nice dinners. Not a date. Just... being spoiled for a bit. Even if it means helping with dinner, it's still worth it. Spoiled with nice things was _always_ better than being spoiled because Ravus was being dumb and worrying about something neither of them could actually control.

He's just rebooting Webs when his phone rings and pulls him out of his concentration. It's a little jarring—the way his ringtone drowns out his music, even though his music is considerably louder than the ringtone... but, he knows for a fact that his father's ringtone has been drilled into him as a reflexive priority. The same way he's immediately alert whenever Ravus' phone signals the man calling when Loqi doesn't answer his own phone.

He taps a button on the spider's back to activate the microphone, "Record: Don't break Webs again. I'll be over soon as I see what father wants and clean up. See you in a bit." Another tap to the button shuts the recording off and he makes a vague gesture towards the door to redirect the spider's attention, "Go find Rae."

Webs chirps at him and immediately hops down from the workbench, scuttling off to obey. Loqi barely remembers to turn his stereo off before he answers his phone, "Sorry, sir. I was fixing Ath—er... one of my drones."

He half expects to be chastised. He frowns when all the explanation earns him is a nonchalant hum.

" _I honestly expected you to be harassing Nox Fleuret. He's not answering his phone either. No matter. I'll need you to pass a message on to him, it would seem._ "

"Oh... uh... kay—I mean. Yes, sir?" Loqi shifts a little, trying not to let his phone drop from his shoulder as he's clearing his work area. For a moment he focuses on 'harassing' more than the rest of the sentence—wonders if it means his father _knows_ about his probably unhealthy interest in Ravus—before he really processes the rest of the words. Once he does, he frowns. "He already brought the reports this week... were they inadequate?"

" _Nothing of the sort. I merely wished to commend him one final time._ "

"...Final... sir?" Loqi feels his throat trying to close, his mind immediately racing a million miles an hour with the worst case scenarios. It isn't entirely unheard of for his father to cut ties with people he no longer has use for. He can't think of a reason Ravus would fall into that category; but, that doesn't stop him from considering the possibility and what _that_ could end up meaning.

" _Indeed. I'll be out of contact for quite a while and merely wished to extend my gratitude before I got wrapped up in work. And I do so hate considering the long-distance charges. A small price to pay for a more spacious facility, I suppose._ "

The worry washes away into relief before confusion begins to bubble up and Loqi finally turns his complete attention to the conversation, "You're going on a trip, then...?"

" _I will be returning to my primary facility in Niflheim. I do believe your brother or one of his new_ **_friends_ ** _appropriated something of mine. Something very important._ " For something supposedly important, his father doesn't sound the least bit upset. " _No matter, I suppose... but, I dare not risk them making a second attempt._ "

"Oh. Then... I guess, I'll be home tomorrow—"

" _That won't be necessary_."

Loqi's mouth immediately snaps shut, confusion flooding his system once more. Any other emotion he may have felt about moving—specifically, wondering how long it would take to convince his father Ravus should come, too, along with convincing Ravus to move—is immediately abandoned. Confusion. Anxiety.

"But—"

" _You've already made your choice quite clear, Loqi. Running off across the country._ " Still no anger. A cold tone, but still detached and none too concerned, overall. " _I've heard a number of interesting things. Perhaps there is something you would like to share about Nox Fleuret?_ "

"What? No—I mean, no, sir, of course not?"

" _Oh? Then all this talk I hear of you favouring him and talking him into jobs that have been promised to other clientele?_ "

Not... accurate, but not a lie either. He may have given the excuse that he was giving Ravus the jobs; but, the reality was, Loqi just wanted a reason to explore the area. If it meant taking hunts that were maybe _supposed_ to be someone else's... he didn't see any harm in it.

"With all due respect, sir, Nox Fleuret has proven enough times that he _is_ the optimal choice for these situations. It's far more efficient with just the two of us, as opposed to hiring a team of three, sometimes _more_ people." He was finally _forgetting_ how upsetting the confusion feels—had felt a mere three weeks ago, when Ravus was trying to convince him his father was lying to him—and now... now it just feels _worse_. "You've never had a problem with us taking jobs before, I'm not favouring him—"

" _No? You only did the same thing your brother did."_ Loqi feels every muscle in his body lock up and finds himself biting, hard, on his tongue to keep from making an instinctual rebuttal to the words. " _Running off with absolutely no regard for anyone else—quite specifically without even warning the man who raised you?_ "

Ok, he's admitted enough times he _should_ have told his father he was leaving that day. But it had all been very impulsive, very shortsighted, and... apparently, a horrible idea.

"I didn't—I've already—father, please—"

" _No, no. It's_ **_quite_ ** _alright. It's not as though you left me wondering where you were for the entire day or that you didn't check in_ **_after_ ** _you finished your errands that night_ **_or_ ** _the night before, now that I consider it. You're learning all_ **_sorts_ ** _of things from Nox Fleuret, aren't you?_ "

He's already apologised for that. Multiple times, in fact. Every time his father called, he found himself apologising for it—for running off, for not keeping up to date with the Keycatrich group _or_ the Lestallum group. The apologies are brushed off, every time, no matter how hard he tries to sound sincere. He is, really. But that can't be reason enough to be _punished_ —

"Father, please." He tries again, hates how desperate he sounds and doesn't realise he's started pacing until he nearly runs into his workbench. "Please, I've been waiting to move back to Niflheim for _years_. Why not?"

" _I've already told you: You made your choice._ " The lack of anger would be more terrifying if he weren't already working himself into a panic over what he could have done to warrant this conversation. " _I've also never said you weren't free to return to Niflheim on your own. As you both seem so keen on reminding me lately—you and your brother are both adults. I cannot rightly stop you from moving back, now can I?_ "

"He's _not_ my brother!" Loqi snaps before he has a chance to really think about it. Of course, the second the words leave his mouth, he _does_ realise what he said and immediately bites down on his lip, waiting for the reproach, "I... I mean...."

He can't find an excuse. Instead of even _trying_ and making it worse, he just curls in on himself, one arm curled tight against his stomach, and the hand still holding his phone is shaking so badly he's genuinely surprised he doesn't drop his phone.

" _No, I suppose not._ " Verstael agrees after a moment. Loqi would probably be a lot more confused than he feels if he weren't so busy suppressing a panic attack, " _At least with Prompto I know to expect disappointment._ **_You_ ** _, however, I expected far better from. At the absolute, bare minimum, I expected at least one of the boys I took in to be obedient. Yet, here we are: you've both run off on your own accords, following some idle fancies that will amount to the same any of your other fancies do. I will admit that Nox Fleuret has lasted far longer than most of your interests. I will applaud him for_ **_that_ ** _, if nothing else. And, as curious as I am to see how long Caelum manages to deal with your... well, he's not your brother, as you've said. I do wonder how long they'll keep him; but, my research is worth far more than waiting to see how long a pair of ungrateful, duplicitous children can survive on their own."_

Loqi feels his heart stop for almost a solid two seconds, feels his throat closing tighter. If nothing else—if _absolutely, nothing else_ —he's been loyal. He's done everything that's ever been asked of him—the countless jobs and meetings; the endless needles and blood tests that used to leave him anemic for days at a time. The days he'd be too tired to move while his body worked to replenish blood. Even _after_ Ravus got involved and convinced his father to draw fewer times, less blood... he still has bruises and pricks inside his arm, his elbows, his wrists, on his hands—old and new, alike. But _he_ was, for reasons beyond his comprehension, being categorized with _Argentum_.

"What...." He clears his throat and pulls himself together as best he can. He'll deal with the information _after_ he's off the phone, "What did you need me to tell Nox Fleuret?"

A short pause. Calculated. In a calmer state, he may actually be suspicious. At the moment, however, he's still fighting just to control his breathing.

" _Ah, yes. Just to have him return my calls. Perhaps he's just busy with some asinine task. I've already spread word to my contacts around Lucis about my departure. You won't need to check in with them, anymore. Hopefully you'll find something productive to do with your free time, now."_

Loqi gives a short nod before he remembers he's on the phone. "Yes, sir, of course. I—" he bites down on his lip, looking down at his arm for a split second before he lets out a slow breath, "And... the blood work?"

Another short pause and hum. " _I am somewhat astonished you wish to continue helping with my lab work, given how quickly you left. I will have other volunteers in Niflheim._ "

"Volunteers that need to be studied and categorized from scratch," he points out. He should be happy he doesn't need to have his blood studied anymore; he _definitely_ shouldn't be _volunteering_. Desperation drowns out any other logic, though, even when he feels a vague tingling sensation in the crook of his arm where the needle had been barely twenty-four hours earlier. A sample to send with the week's reports, with everything else they've gathered. Routine, nothing else. But, something to hold onto. "You already have a foundation and references with me. Even if it's just something to compare to new volunteers."

" _A valid point, I suppose._ " His father agrees. He can hear things being trifled with, glass being set down, papers being shuffled. It _should_ be little more than white noise; but, the way his mind currently is, it's an absolutely _horrendous_ distraction. " _Irrelevant, however. As you'll recall, I've quite a few samples from the last time you decided to come home. They should be just enough to begin a new catalogue. Furthermore, their samples will be a fresh slate regardless. Niflheim is leagues antonymous to Lucis in all other factors, daemon population and exposure included. I've little to no use for any further blood samples from you._ "

"Of… of course, sir, my apologies for presuming. Then… I'll make sure Nox Fleuret calls you posthaste—"

He should really be used to the silence when his father hangs up with no sort of parting word. With a shaky exhale, he lets his phone slip from his grasp, clattering harmlessly on top of his workbench before he finally falls into his chair. Aside from the insides of his arms still feigning the sensation of needles pricking him, he feels... alarmingly numb. Nauseated, as he works on processing the conversation. Slowly, his attention drifts down to his arm and he pushes the sleeves on his sweater up past his elbow. The dark purple and red marks inside his arm are none too surprising. They're healing well enough, but….

 _"I've little to no use for any further blood samples from you._ "

Obsolete. At this point he was little more than a page marker—a reference that may or may not be acknowledged ever again. And what does he have to show for it? A canvas of scars and bruising inside his arms that kept him from wearing short-sleeves? That needed to be covered with a smile and a shrug and an excuse on the off chance someone saw them? An instinctual reflex to shy away from something as harmless as having a hand on his wrist or arm? Even with Ravus, unexpected contact was enough to make him recoil and spend _hours_ working up the nerve and patience to be around people again. Someone he _didn't_ know grabbing his arms—or, him in general, really… sometimes he was lucky if he managed to hold together for more than a few seconds when that happened. The longer he stares at his arm, now, the more he feels the need to start rubbing at the bruises. He knows it only agitates the area and makes them last longer, but… honestly, at this point, feeling anything other than nausea sounds ideal. Nausea and the overwhelming need to be... _somewhere._

Honestly, anywhere that isn't alone.

His immediate solution is bolting next door so he can be near Ravus; but, just as quickly as the idea presents itself, he pushes it away by shaking his head. Ravus is the _last_ person he needs to be around right now. _Ravus_ has a really, _really_ annoying sixth sense that tells him when something is wrong and if they're alone too long, it's going to turn into attempts at... conversations Loqi really doesn't want to have. Not now, not _ever_ . And, then, they'll end up fighting. And that's the absolute last thing he wants—needs. Last thing he _needs_ , as he has to remind himself that _want_ is entirely irrelevant.

With a slow exhale, he looks around his apartment. Scraps and tools carefully organised into piles. Shelves upon shelves of books he's been hoarding for _years_ and used to stash in Ravus' apartment so his father didn't find them. Most of them are work relevant—well... references, mostly. But there's always those _few_ that he bought for curiosity. Fiction and science-fiction and fantasy and anything to distract him when he couldn't sleep at night that would have gotten him a critical look, just the same as his accessories—petty trinkets that distracted him from what he was _supposed_ to be doing. So far as father was concerned, anyways. Things he didn't need at home, because….

Because Hammerhead _wasn't_ home. Hammerhead was just a temporary refuge until they moved back to Niflheim. He understood; he really did. Moving with two children would have been difficult, especially with his father's workload being substantially greater in the Niflheim facility. He worked day and night _here_ … it wasn't too far-fetched to believe that it would have been worse in Niflheim… but, he'd spent the last fifteen or so years _promising_ Loqi they would eventually move back. When Prompto finished grade school. When Loqi finished high school. When Prompto finished high school. _After_ Argentum graduated, Loqi had genuinely thought they would be moving. He remembers being as hopeful as he was worried. Two years ago was when he was finally _kind of_ coming to terms with the fact he liked being around Ravus. Yeah, they still fought on and off a lot… but… it was nice actually having someone to hang out with, even if—so far as his father was concerned—Ravus was supposed to just be keeping an eye on him when he had to travel outside of Lucis for jobs.

But, they hadn't moved. There was never any real reason; but, Loqi never asked about it. Maybe father had just been waiting for one of them to ask? Maybe, now that they were both out of the apartment, he had nothing keeping him in Lucis? Did that make it Loqi's fault?

That thought—out of all the unsettling things running through his head a million miles an hour—is what finally snaps him out of it. Not completely; but, it makes him realise he _really_ does not want to be sitting alone in an apartment right now. But… he also really doesn't want to be alone with Ravus, either. Not yet. He's not sure how long it's been, but he would wager it's been far long enough to have warranted concern and he should _probably_ check in before Ravus checks on him first.

With that as his primary motivation, Loqi finally moves to get a shower. It takes more effort than he cares not to stare at his arms and even more so not to scrub them raw. It's not until he's out of the shower, dressed, and fixing his hair that he realises he's not dressed for a night indoors. If he were staying indoors he wouldn't have bothered with jeans and jewelry; but, he's already slipped on three rings—decoration more than aesthetic; something he bribed out of a contact a few years ago. While he doesn't necessarily like how they look _on him_ , he appreciates the way they accentuate that he settles for nothing less than the best. He has other rings that would work just as well—smaller bands, more intricate designs…. but these are also the ones he doesn't mind getting messed up when he gets in fights and he _knows_ for a fact they can leave marks. So, much as he may or may not like them on any given day, they have their uses. The sweater, though… the sweater—and the fact he put his contacts in, instead of sliding his glasses back on—is the sign he convinced himself, somewhere along the way, that tonight was a night for going out.

The sweater he steals from Ravus is enough to get him to calm down and actually think a little bit—to finally try turning the conversation with his father over in his head. But, the longer he does and the more he really thinks about how much he doesn't want to be around Ravus right now… the more he realises that staying indoors isn't going to be much of an option. Maybe for most other people it would be; but, right now, for Loqi? That was the absolute last thing he wanted. If he wanted to stay indoors, he would have just worn short sleeves—Ravus may not have _liked_ the bruises inside his arms and wrists, but he knew about them. And that meant it was safe to wear tees around him instead of burning up, even if he _does_ like this particular sweater. And his contacts? The _only_ time he wore his glasses was when he was working or he knew he wasn't going out in public for a good length of time.

With that logic running through his head, he finally stops fussing with his hair and wanders over to Ravus' apartment. As soon as he opens the door, Webs chirps at him and scuttles up his leg to his arm to his shoulder and settles there. Loqi gives him a quick, small pat on the head before he powers the spider down and sets him on one of the tables in the living room before he finally starts making an active effort to find Ravus.

It's a remarkably short-lived mission; the second he steps into the kitchen he sees him setting things out on the counter to start dinner. A small part of him feels bad—he really had been looking forward to dinner, but… right now….

With a small hum to announce his presence, Loqi closes the short distance and presses up against Ravus' back with a short, content sigh. His arms wrap loose around the other man's torso and he tilts his head a little so he's looking up, cheek resting on the closest shoulder and doing his best impression of puppy eyes (or whatever Ravus called it when he was trying to get his way).

"Hey, Rae? How mad would you be if I changed my mind about dinner?"

That, finally, gets Ravus' attention and he finally looks back over his shoulder to give Loqi the best glance over that he can.

"Not upset… but, curious. That was a rather lengthy call, is everything alright?" He doesn't bring attention to Loqi's attire just yet; either because he can't actually see what he's wearing or because he really isn't upset. Whichever, Loqi just gives a simple shrug.

"Got distracted. Father merely wanted me to tell you to call him back. Where's your phone, anyways?"

"In the bedroom, where it generally is when we don't have any pressing matters that require immediate attention." Ravus finally works his way out of the loose hug so he can turn, leaning back on the counter and crossing his arms to give Loqi a more thorough appraisal. He raises one brow at the ensemble. "When you said you changed your mind, I was rather hoping you _didn't_ mean going out. You're certain there was nothing relevant in the call?"

Relevant. Relevant was an extremely broad term. Loqi just gives him a blank look, his own arms crossing as he shifts his weight a bit more on his left to show he's getting impatient.

"Nothing of relevance to either of us, no. Just that he requires your attention when you've the time to return his call. Didn't say what for… not about the reports, though. Did ask about those, said they were adequate. So… not sure what it's for."

"Ah… I imagine it's to gripe about Caelum again." Ravus sighs a bit, shaking his head. "I don't think he quite understands that it's no simple matter to just waltz into a hunter's safe place—a compound, at that—and request blood samples."

That's what he thinks the call is about? How many times has his father called Ravus about this? He stopped asking Loqi about it at least half a week ago. No matter how many times Loqi tried to ask about the compound, Ravus was pretty firm about ensuring he didn't know _where_ it was. Not that he couldn't go looking himself with the limited information he had; but, it would've been easier and safer with someone who already knew where to go. Mostly safer on account Ravus knew the _people_ there, just as well as _how_ to get there. Regardless of his own knowledge of the compound, his father hadn't asked him about Caelum in quite a few days… or… called in quite a few days for that matter. It makes him stop and a frown etches across his face.

"Father's been pestering you about that more often, then? That's… remarkably unsettling, if I'm honest."

Unsettling doesn't even _begin_ to cover it. What was so important about getting samples from Caelum? Loqi knew that fostering the negative energy in him was vital; for as long as he's been helping his father with people and research, Caelum's darkness was… honestly, nothing short of terrifying. It was something Loqi hadn't actually seen with anyone else and that was just observational. The self-blame alone was on a scale all its own and that wasn't even accounting for any other emotions he may have kept to himself. It made him an easy target, at any rate. Easier than Argentum, even, and that was saying something… but, Loqi still didn't quite understand why he was supposed to be keeping an eye on _him._ Why suddenly factor in a third person? Especially if, as his father pointed out, it would be entirely irrelevant when he returned to Niflheim?

Unless… that was just his father's way of saying _Loqi_ was irrelevant when he returned to Niflheim.

Instead of thinking on that for too long, he just gives a short shrug and a lazy smile, gesturing over his shoulder. "Regardless… father sounded busy. You can call him back later, can't you? Let's go have fun."

♦

As much as Loqi _hates_ being touched, the second they're in the bar, he sends Ravus for drinks and immediately disappears into the back corner where he _knows_ there are going to be people to gamble with and starts assessing just what he's willing to bet—if he's willing to actually put sex on the table or not. He's not desperate enough to consider losing—not yet. The fact he even considers, for a brief moment as it is, that losing would be beneficial, is unsettling. If nothing else, though, he can get free drinks and maybe a few situations where he's in control. Handjobs, blowjobs— _that_ wasn't about sex; that was literally just being in control of the situation.

He's drawn out of his thoughts by a short ' _ahem_ ' and glances up. Ravus offers him a glass with a bright blue drink. Loqi grins and leans up to press a quick kiss to Ravus' cheek. "Blue Mermaid. Thanks, Rae. Sticking around for cards or…?"

"Thankfully, I'll be declining." Ravus shakes his head. "I need to go speak to Jessie about an upcoming hunt. Don't get _too_ many free drinks? Or at least don't steal too many peoples' clothes?"

"Well that's no fun."

"Just… try to stay out of trouble for a few minutes?"

Even with the warning and mild exasperation, Ravus look momentarily amused. Just for a moment before the look levels out and he disappears back to the bar. Loqi waves after him as a dismissive ' _yeah, whatever_ ' gesture, before he slides up to one of the poker tables, leaning in on a free space. "Got another game going, gentlemen?"

"Been awhile since you've been out, Tummelt." One of the hunters gives him a quick appraisal. Loqi doesn't bother responding to the interested look and instead sips his drink, tapping on the table a few times to show he's not interested in idle chatter. "Can deal you in next round, easy. What's on the table?"

"Rounds, obviously." Loqi snorts a little and lets himself fall into the chair, knocking back the rest of his drink with only a mild wince. His stomach protests for a short moment as he's reminded that they came out to drink instead of having dinner. "Scratch that. Food is the first round. I plan on keeping this going for a while and that means _someone_ is getting food to sop up the number of drinks you all are going to be buying."

Despite being completely serious, a short round of laughter fills the corner and Loqi just shrugs. At least two of the players just eye him warily, as though they already know he's going to be winning the next few hands, until he gets bored. He looks down at his hands as he waits for the current game to wrap up, idly adjusting the rings on each hand, "So. Any fun gossip to share while I'm waiting?"

"People gossip or business?"

A familiar voice interrupts from overhead and Loqi glances up with an amused smirk. "Dulcis. When'd you get back to Lucis? Thought you stayed in Altissia now days?"

The newest addition to the small gathering returns the smirk, arms crossed lightly across his stomach. Venero Dulcis was one of Loqi's oldest… acquaintances. The one that tried to keep him out of trouble in high school. Tried. Didn't succeed very often; but, he tried and he was generally better to be around than other people _after_ high school. Specifically, he was someone Loqi could hook up with and actually expect no strings attached. They weren't friends—half the time they couldn't even stand to be near one another, not after that mess in Altissia their senior year.

He was attractive in his own ways; easier on the eyes than most people that Loqi had to deal with, at any rate. Dark amber eyes that kind of reminded Loqi of honey and a sickeningly sweet smile that nearly put Loqi's to shame. Nearly. Overall, it was fitting to his name. Loqi remembers giving him Hell about it during high school—too sweet and too approachable and exactly how they even met. Loqi hadn't been too impressed by him in high school and _apparently_ that was offensive enough to warrant a baseless competition to get his attention; the competition lasted a few months before Venero devoted most of his free time to making sure Loqi wasn't doing stupid things, while simultaneously trying to get him to accept _any_ of the interested suitors in their school. It hadn't amounted to anything until after his first trip to Altissia with that stupid festival and stupid bet. But, since then, they'd been on-and-off friends with benefits. …Honestly, now that Loqi's thinking about it, he hasn't seen Venero since he started hanging out with Ravus. 

Venero shrugs his head to one side in response to the question, while giving Loqi a quick one-over. "About a week ago. Heard you were here but this is the first I've seen you. Where've you been hiding?"

"Working, actually. You joining in or are you just going to stand there and try to distract me?"

"I know better than to play you, Tummelt." Venero laughs and pulls up an empty chair, anyways. "Anyways. I got fun gossip for you, if you sit this hand out. Probably already know it, but never hurts to try."

Loqi raises a brow at him; but, after a moment of consideration, he nods and waves the dealer off before anything gets dealt his way. He turns his full attention to Venero, crossing his arms and offering a mostly sincere look of curiosity. "Alright. I'm listening."

"So, you're pretty familiar with hunter groups, right?"

He feels a nerve give a violent twitch and can't keep the bite out of his tone when he responds. "If this is about Caelum's group, I already know." Loqi turns his attention back to his drink, grumbling when he remembers he already downed it. He wants to find Ravus for another drink, but… he also doesn't want Venero to see just how annoyed he is with the topic. So, he brushes it off with an exaggerated sigh. "They've been a bit of a thorn in my side lately."

"Really? Even though you're runnin' around with someone who used to hunt with them? Nice."

"If you are referring to Nox Fleuret, we've already spoken about his departure from the group. Old news. I hope you've something better than that to offer." Loqi makes a flippant gesture at him towards the bar, "Otherwise, you'd best walk yourself up to the bar and order me another drink since I'm missing this round of cards—"

"Yeah. Your boyfriend's flirting with a handful of them."

Loqi actually pauses at those words and regards Venero with a blank expression for a long moment before he finally tries to respond. "I don't have a boyfriend. You know damned well how I feel about relationships. About dating in general, honestly, you were responsible for that fiasco senior year so what the fuck—?"

Venero shrugs and points back over his shoulder. "Whatever. Nox Fleuret's attention isn't on you anymore, Tummelt. That's all I meant."

Loqi actually scowls at him before he finally follows the line of the gesture and raises a brow. The first thing he notices is Amicitia. Then... the one he can't remember. The one that Ravus' sister is always with. The second thing he notices is the disturbing lack of sister and bespectacled attachments. And _then_... then he spots the absolute bane of his existence and his eyes narrow.

"Hold that thought, please." He stands, exhaling slowly to try getting his temper under _something_ that resembles control. Of _course_ it would be Caelum. Why the Hell wouldn't it be. "I'll be just a moment and _you_ , Dulcis, are going to owe me half the damn menu for bringing this to my attention."

"So... _not_ your boyfriend. Right." Venero snorts and waves after him. Loqi just flips him off in a passing gesture and only barely takes note to the fact that Venero's begun flirting with the table in his stead. Whatever he was hoping to accomplish… well, Loqi can figure that out later. Right now… the only thing in his head is making sure Caelum's night is _miserable_.

♦

Honestly, Loqi was perfectly fine with just antagonising the ever loving fuck out of Caelum. It wasn't too hard to put two and two together—his father calls, saying he suspects materials being stolen and Caelum and Amicitia just _happen_ to be out drinking? Without Argentum or Scientia attached to them? Honestly it was a little disgusting how touchy-feely the two pairs were with one another. But the fact they're not together is a pretty telling sign.

Argentum can still get in the apartment, probably. And, Scientia—if he's made the proper observations and going off what Ravus has told him of the group—is the only one that sounds ballsy enough to actually steal from his father. It all made perfect sense—as much as anything was making sense at that moment.

But then. _Then_ Caelum decided to go and open his stupid, drunk mouth.

"That sweater looks dumb on you."

Loqi feels a nerve in his face twitch and only kind of notices the short, exasperated sigh from Ravus. He can keep cool through this. He's above this. Caelum's opinion is _completely irrelevent_ —

"Prompto's eyes are prettier than yours."

That ends up being the final straw. The words are nothing alike; but, immediately his mind substitutes his father's words.

" _No? You only did the same thing your brother did. Running off with absolutely no regard for anyone else—quite specifically without even warning the man who raised you?_ "

 " _At least with Prompto I know to expect disappointment._ **_You_ ** _, however, I expected far better from._

Normally, he'd be much more conscious of attracting so much attention to himself. Especially so the fact he's in a fight—some small part of him is still wary and terrified of word getting back to his father about this. But, honestly, attacking Caelum sounds like a much better priority than some _minor_ probability that his father likely won't even care about. As much as he'd be ok leaving the fight verbal; but, the second he's shoved against the pool table… well. He's always been more than ok with a fist fight, too. Honestly, sometimes he forgets how much he _prefers_ fighting up close.

The thoughts don't last long and he doesn't get nearly as much from the fight as he'd like. A rough hand catches his arm, _right_ where the bruising inside his right arm is, before a third punch and—ignoring the fact his nerves are running high enough that he's _immediately_ almost physically repulsed by the contact—yanks him back and he's shoved to the ground.

Even knowing Ravus is the one that grabs him the second time, his nerves are shot to Hell and he fights against the hold the entire time. Ravus just keeps a tight hold around him until they're outside. The second his grip loosens, Loqi finally manages to wrench himself free of Ravus' hold, snarling when he manages to get away, "I _said_ let go!"

" _What_ the Hell was that?"

It's unsettling hearing Ravus angry _at_ him. As it is, Loqi's just barely keeping himself upright, barely biting down the urge to keel over and give in to the overwhelming anxiety and need to throw up. His stomach twists, violently, and has him leaning on his knees, breathing hard and deep. " _Nothing_... just... just leave me alone. Couldn't just mind your own damn business, what the Hell is wrong with people, they always get involved, try to butt in—"

He tenses up the second he feels a hand on his shoulder and slaps Ravus' hand away, with more force than he really means, " _Don't_ touch me!"

The look he gets is damning. Shock and anger fight for control and Loqi's barely keeping himself together. The harder he breathes, the harder it _gets_ to breathe and he nearly kneels back over. His vision goes blurry for a second—the way it does when his contacts are unsettled but it feels different. Hotter. Wetter. Even with his vision blurring, it's enough that he can see the anger draining to worry and, as much as he hates it, he hisses immediately when Ravus' hand raises again and takes a few steps back to avoid being touched. The hand stills in midair and Ravus just gives him a long look before letting out a slow breath and letting his hand fall back to his side, the other one posed on his hip in a gesture of thinning patience.

"Very well. Now. Perhaps you would like to tell me _what_ you were thinking." He makes a gesture back towards the bar, eyes narrowing down at Loqi. "If you wish to antagonise Caelum, that's your business. But I've told you enough times—I will not tolerate unnecessary fighting. Least of all with Ulric and Amicitia _right there_. I would have thought you learned better, after what happened his Hammerhead."

The bruise on his cheek is finally healed. He doesn't have to wear a ridiculous amount of makeup to hide the dark bruise from Amicitia and it finally doesn't hurt to touch. Sometimes if he moves his mouth weird—bites down too hard on something, chews too long on the inside of his cheek, or just grinds his teeth too long... then it hurts. But, for the most part, it's finally healing and... yeah, ok. Ravus might have a point. Starting a fight with Amicitia right there wasn't exactly the most brilliant thing he's done but... honestly he's not sure why he started the fight.

He'd been annoyed with Ravus clearly invested in someone else. In people he claimed he had no concern for. But... most of all, Caelum. The second he saw Caelum, everything went red.

What made him so special? What made him a priority in his father's eyes? Even clear across the world, _what_ made Caelum's samples more important? Better? What even was _in_ Caelum's blood? Did his father know? They hadn't succeeded in getting the samples... so, was it just that his father _wanted_ the sample to say he had it? Or did he manage to get a sample from elsewhere? The hospital had done blood work and Loqi knows for a fact they have an agreement with his father—had. Had an agreement. Whenever Argentum or Loqi was admitted to the hospital, they covered up any potential risks. Sickness? Didn't exist. They imagined it. The school was delirious. Loqi never complained about being sick anymore; he's only been drastically sick once since he started helping with blood work and the rest of his father's research. That was a few years ago—that first time he went to Altissia with Ravus, when he got Odin. Right before they started being friends. He hasn't been sick since and _before_ that, he hasn't been sick since he was in elementary.

He'd felt miserable—light headed and nauseated. He didn't know any better at the time, didn't understand the angry rashes on the inside of his arms. He was told it was an allergic reaction and was given medicine that he later learned was to help combat anemia. To help recover his red blood cell count and try to boost his immunity. After he started helping, he understood; the doctors in Hammerhead weren't supposed to let anyone know anything about either of them. He wasn't sure about Argentum, specifically. But, in Loqi's case, it was the speed of his metabolism. The way his immune system was ridiculously weak when attacked. As much as he hated the heat in Hammerhead and Lestallum, it kept his immune system working optimally and suddenly being exposed to the colder climate of late fall Altissia and its outlying areas... the drastic shift had attacked him, hard, along with everything else that had been going on. The harsh storm. The exhaustion that came with fighting with his daemon.

Ravus had explained that part was normal. That he'd gone through the same thing with Alexander. He'd only been out for a day and a few hours and had been _really_ lucky to have passed awakened so close to a small outpost. He'd been alone for his and was found by hunters around one in the morning. Alexander had cleared the area around him of daemons and the hunters had come investigating, thoroughly bewildered by the sudden disappearance of the daemon population they'd been tracking _before_ Hour Twenty-Five.

An agitated sigh finally draws him from his thoughts and he comes back into present focus just as Ravus makes a gesture towards the apartment complex.

"Very well. Have it your way. I suspect you'll be staying out tonight, then? _Try_ to stay out of trouble. I'll not be responsible for any further fights you instigate." He snaps before brushing by to head home.

For a short moment, Loqi feels lightheaded. Weightless and numb again as the words really sink in. As his father's words come back to him.

" _I'm amazed Nox Fleuret's lasted as long as he has._ "

" _I've told you a number of times, Loqi. If you allow Prompto to believe the two of you are brothers, things will only become difficult as you get older._ "

" _You honestly believe anyone could love you, aside from your family—from me? You have no place with them, Loqi. The most efficient way to protect yourself is to do what you've always done—work alone and do_ **_exactly_ ** _as I say._ "

The words nearly make him throw up—the feeling comes rushing back to him; but, as he watches after the way Ravus left, more memories force themselves to the forefront of his attention.

" _You're brilliant._ "

" _Why do you even listen to him? I understand he's your father, but you could be doing_ **_so much_ ** _more for people._ "

But, more than words, he sees that damn look. The softer smiles and the gentle touches that don't make him shudder and leave him in dire need of a scalding hot shower; touches that actually make him _want_ to be touched. And that realization is what has him jogging to catch up with Ravus. He's a little hesitant when he finally catches up. Ravus either hasn't noticed him or really is just… intent on ignoring him. Yeah, he figures he crossed a line in the bar, but… he really should've thought of this first. Maybe… maybe Ravus can help him figure it out. He's helped with everything else so—

Before he really has a chance to think about it, he's already reached out, his hand finding Ravus' and tugging gently. He freezes, immediately, and—as Ravus turns to glance at him—quickly pulls his own hand back.

"I—sorry, I didn't mean to—I'm…I was just…." He gives up on an explanation and just looks down at the floor. "I… I can go if you meant that, I'm… I wasn't—"

He jumps when unexpected contact brushes down his jawline to gently tap his chin upwards. He only manages eye contact for a few short seconds before he quickly looks away, trying to hide the misery, despite knowing how futile the attempt is. Maybe they can just skip this part. Maybe they can just go straight to the part where everything's better again.

"Loqi. Look at me." Or… maybe, they _have_ to do this part. As much as he doesn't want to, Loqi finally attempts to turn his gaze back to meet Ravus' eye. Careful neutrality that levels out to concern when they have eye contact. Like he wasn't expecting Loqi to give in so easily. "If you come back… are you actually going to try talking about this?"

A short stretch of silence; but, Loqi still nods, miserably, after a moment.

"I mean _actually_ talk, Loqi. I don't mean the off-topic chatter I normally let you get away with. I need to know what happened. Was it something Caelum did?"

"Existing." Loqi doesn’t mean to answer. He really doesn't and that's not the answer he was looking for. He groans and pulls away to shake his head. "Not—not like _that_ , I just… he's—father… _ugh_."

Ravus actually looks surprised for a short moment. But, just as quickly, the look fades and he makes a gesture. "Perhaps the middle of Lestallum is not the most comfortable place to ahve this conversation…."

Loqi gives a quiet nod and obediently falls into step just behind Ravus, keeping his eyes trained stubbornly on the ground. He startles, briefly, when Ravus slows his step enough that they're walking side-by-side and slips an arm around him. When he glances up, he's met by a carefully neutral expression. One that asks if the gesture is welcome; instead of a verbal answer, Loqi presses closer to his side and lets out a slow breath. He can do this.

♦

Even when they're back in the apartment, Loqi doesn't immediately start explaining. He settles on the couch, pulls his legs up after kicking his shoes off to astrals only even knew, and wraps his arms loose around his knees, staring at the floor for a stretch of silence.

Ravus lets out a slow breath and slowly heads to the kitchen. It's not... guaranteed, but sometimes a drink helps him talk. Nothing alcoholic, he's clearly had enough of that for one night; but, at the very least, something warm to snap him back to his senses. Even in the time that Ravus is moving around the kitchen, Loqi doesn't move. He's not even sure the blonde notices that he's left until he finally passes him a cup of steaming tea and settles on the cushion next to him. Even with the cup in his hand (and a quickly muttered thanks, which is odd in and of itself), the silence carries on. Before Ravus can try asking, Loqi finally lets out a slow, shaken breath and takes a quick sip of the tea.

"So... probably figured by now. Kinda. I was lyin' earlier. About... about why father called." Ravus makes a short hum to show he suspected as much but doesn't offer anything further. "I mean... not... not completely, he does need to talk to you and I really don't know what it's about--" Just like that, he snaps his mouth shut, his grip tightening on his mug until his knuckles go white. His lips are set in a thin line and Ravus frowns, carefully moving closer in case he needs to restrain Loqi. It's been a few years since he had to; but, it's still a recognisable sign that he's seconds from lashing out. But, he just lets out a slow breath and looks back down at his mug. His tongue darts out across his lips while he's searching for either words or a will to continue.

"Guess that's not news. I haven't been up to date on anything he does lately, have I? ... How much more was he hiding from me, Rae? Not just that job, but... others."

Ravus frowns. He's not sure what this has to do with anything. They haven't spoken about Keycatrich in weeks and he'd... honestly just assumed Loqi didn't want to talk about it. He's not even certain he's considering the proper topic. "I'm not sure I follow. Which job, Lo? The one for Keycatrich or...?"

Honestly, he could be talking about the persistence for the compound, as well. He's really not sure right now. Loqi gives a sharp shake of his head.

"See? That's just it, I don't _know_ . I didn't know about Keycatrich. I didn't know father was still harassing you about the blood samples, either. He stopped asking me about it at _least_ a week ago."

At that, Ravus raises a brow. He's been pestered about it nearly every day since they left. He's not positive why; logically, it would seem Dr. Besithia's managed to draw up a conclusion about his involvement with the group. Or he expects reconnaissance work to locate the compound. But the fact he's singling Ravus out for the job seems to confirm he has some knowledge of the connection there. He can't be too worried about it, though, because he hasn't tried to use Loqi as bait lately.

"You said you turned down Keycatrich, though." Loqi's voice brings him back to the conversation and he gives a short nod to show he's correct. He had and he'd do it again. Knowing what he does _now_ , he'd stick to the refusal, too. "But he changed your mind... because..." He hesitates. Like he doesn't want to say it outloud. Like saying it will make him believe how true it is. Ravus sighs and finishes the sentence for him, just so they can move past _this_ part at least.

"Because he threatened you, yes. As I said, I should have considered his words more carefully. I don't believe he would have done anything *drastic*, but it was a possibility and he knew it would work."

For another long moment, Loqi's quiet. When he finally finds his voice, he finally looks over at Ravus, expression carefully neutral as he works over the information. The way he does when he's trying to figure out an outcome, the way he's looking for where he wants a conversation to go.

"That wasn't the first job he's done that. Was it?"

Not even close. Ravus isn't quite ready to admit to _how many_ jobs have happened because the man threatened his son. They weren't even threats, just... idle promises, really. Probabilities. The time before, Ravus hadn't wanted to gather crystals. Fresh crystals. Not only was it dangerous—one never knew what daemon was going to produce from a crystal—it was... honestly, revolting. Like digging up a fresh grave to harvest organs. That's essentially what they were doing _anyways_ . When Ravus had declined that, he hadn't been pressured immediately. Just told that a team would need to be hired and Loqi was going with them. If Ravus accepted, Loqi would be going with him; but, otherwise, Loqi would have been alone. With hunters that didn't know what they were walking into. And if they happened to _not_ be finished before Hour Twenty-Five... needless to say, Ravus had changed his mind, quickly. Rightly so. The daemon they'd encountered was a Red Giant and if there was anything Ravus hated fighting it was a giant. IT was... moderately easier with Loqi there. But still a pain and dangerous when it summoned others to join its cause.

It also raised all sorts of questions as to how Dr. Besithia even _knew_ where daemons would be. Where fresh crystals would be.

Instead of bringing any of that into the conversation, Ravus just gives a singular nod. "It wasn't. That's far past our realm of control but… no. That was not the first time he's made such promises."

Loqi gives him a long, searching look. Like he's considering whether he wants to ask how many times it's happened without his knowledge; but, in the end, he apparently decides against it and looks back down at the floor. He hugs his knees a bit tighter and lets out a slow breath.

"Awesome. I guess. … I should be more upset but. I'm not. I just feel sick…" He grumbles a short curse, burying his face down against his knees so that his forehead is against his knees for pressure. "Headache from Hell, too. S'my own damn fault, I guess."

Ravus frowns. As much as he wants to ask, this is very much _not_ what they agreed to. "Loqi—"

"Father's moving back to Niflheim."

The words effectively silence any berating he may have had planned. Instead, he ends up staring for a long moment, trying to process the information. Both sons are suddenly on the other side of Lucis and their father just _happens_ to decide he's returning "home"? Did he expect them to—

The second the thought crosses his mind, Ravus frowns. _Does_ he expect Loqi to return with him? What about Prompto? He can't imagine Dr. Besithia rightly cares whether or not Prompto joins them, in light of the fact he hadn't made much a fight to keep him in Hammerhead, but… Loqi…

"How soon?"

"Dunno. Don't care. Doesn't matter none, I mean." His attempts to communicate are severely broken; likely a mirror of his train of thought as he lets out a frustrated sigh and runs a hand back through his hair, fingers knotting in the ends. "I meant… it's of no concern to me. Literally."

Ravus blinks again, a bit taken aback by the words. That can't possibly mean what he thinks. "You're… not going with him then." The look he gets, as annoyed as he's sure Loqi _wants_ it to be, falls short. Not annoyed but… terrified. Anxious. Mostly upset. "… Lo, I need you to tell me what happened. _Exactly_ what happened."

It's not that he's necessarily a stranger to Loqi's strange jumps in his thoughts. Normally, he can keep up with them rather well. He can follow the tangents and figure out the conversation and process from there; but, right now… all _logical_ conclusions say that his father should be demanding his return to Hammerhead. Whatever happened earlier is a definitive break in the pattern and Ravus honestly can't tell if that's a good thing or not.

For once, Loqi doesn’t try to argue his way out of the conversation. He just stares at the floor and starts trying to recite the conversation as best he can, in as few words as he can.

"He called right as I finished patching Webs up. Didn't make much small talk, never does—" Loqi pauses and frowns a little. "… Did say somethin' a little weird, but… figured it wasn't nothin' much."

"Weird how?"

"Took me a bit to answer. I made the recording on Webs, first—could probably hear the phone ringing, huh? But… I didn't answer right away. And he didn't get mad like he usually does. He just said... said he thought I was harassin' you. I didn't think much of it, he changed the topic pretty quick, but I do remember thinking it was weird for him to say. I mean… yeah, I know he knows I kind of have a tendency to bother you pretty regularly." Ravus wants to cut him off right there and argue; Loqi hasn't actually _bothered_ him in years. But, Loqi keeps right on going and doesn't give him a chance to interrupt. "But then he was sayin' he had a message for me to pass on and I just. Kinda forgot about it."

"The message to call him back." Loqi nods in response. It wasn't really a question; but, confirmation is good to have and Ravus lets out a slow breath. "I'll make a note to do so in the morning. And then?"

"I asked if it was about the reports… thought he was mad about somethin' but he… he said..." Loqi struggles for a few seconds, like he's still having trouble with this part of the conversation, even though it's long since passed. "He said he just wanted to commend you 'one final time' and I… I didn't know what that meant and then it just got really weird and I was scared that he—"

Just like that, Loqi cuts off, his teeth clamping down sharply on his lower lip. Ravus reaches over, trying to distract him by running a hand along the back of his neck. Thankfully, it has the desired effect and Loqi lets out a shaky breath, releasing his lip before he has a chance to draw blood. He lets out another breath and tries to pick back up. "You know father can be… fickle with his associates…. I didn't… I was expecting him to order a hit on you. Or worse, that he was expecting _me_ to…." He shakes his head sharply, hugging his knees tighter. He manages to shrug away from Ravus' touch with the motion. He's breathing a little heavier, but he manages to steady his voice at least. "Then he… he told me he was going to be out of contact... that—that he was… he's… going back to his primary lab in Niflheim. When I—I thought, because… y'know. I've been waiting for… for _forever_ to go home, right? I told you, he's been promising we'd go home since I was little. Since before I knew what was going on with the rashes inside my arms…."

Ravus frowns but nods. He wants to argue. Niflheim… isn't somewhere he would consider to be anyone's home, honestly. Least of all, he wouldn't expect it of someone who can _barely_ remember it… sometimes, he's pretty sure Loqi _doesn't_ remember and just thinks he does because of his father and the associates from Niflheim.

"But… I told father I'd be home in the morning, because… but… he—he told me it wasn't necessary. Word for word. 'That won't be necessary' and I just. I don't…." Loqi's voice cracks and he puts his face down against his knees again. For a short moment there's silence before a short, equally broken whimper fills the room. "Why… why's he making me stay—just because… because I…." Ravus frowns. He doesn't get a chance to ask, because Loqi lets out a shaky breath and finishes. "I made my choice. But—but I came out here because…."

This time the silence is broken only by the quiet crying in the room. It's an unsettling and foreign thing, hearing Loqi cry. For a moment, he refrains from the comfort, knowing perfectly well that Loqi's probably at the apex of his touch aversion. If he wasn't before this conversation, he definitely is now. But, as the crying steadily gets stronger, Ravus finally moves and gently pulls Loqi into his lap, one arm secure around his waist while his free hand rubs gently at the base of his neck. There isn't nearly as much protesting as he expects—instead, Loqi gives up on the fetal position he's wrapped himself in and latches onto Ravus instead, arms tight around his neck and face buried in his shoulder.

Unsettling doesn't even begin to cover it. The last time Loqi was this upset… was about the time he got Odin. He understands, but it's still… not quite something he was ready for. He really should have been, all things considered. Even if he doesn't quite agree, he understands. If he had a chance to go back to Tenebrae and stay? He would, undoubtedly, do so without hesitation. He's… fairly certain Lunafreya would come, too. Even if it meant putting up with Ulric, going home was absolutely worth it. As much as he may hate it, he absolutely understands Loqi's willingness to go back to Niflheim; and then to be told he wasn't allowed?

Ravus lets out a slow breath, rubbing gently at the back of Loqi's neck to try coaxing him into a calmer state. "He told you it wasn't necessary to come home… because you came out here?" He feels the miserable nod against his shoulder and frowns a little. "You came out here because Argentum was brought here. I fail to see how this would be considered a negative—"

The logic catches up with him as soon as he says it and, given the way that Loqi's gone quiet—even the crying is muffled hiccoughs now; in their place is a violent tremble that spreads through his entire body—he would assume he's reached the proper conclusion. As far as his father was likely concerned, Loqi had failed. He'd been sent to monitor Argentum and, because Ravus had been adamant about keeping the compound's location secret… Loqi hadn't been able to carry out his task. He's confident enough that Loqi didn't _blame_ him, specifically. But, the fact remained that, as far as Dr. Besithia was likely concerned, regardless of circumstance, the situation was Loqi's fault. Ravus may have been a stubborn factor, refusing to assist infiltrating the compound; but, to Dr. Besithia? That was completely and entirely irrelevant.

Even with a feeling of guilt starting to hit him, Ravus can only sigh and wraps his arm a little tighter around Loqi's waist, pressing a quick kiss to his hair. It's a short affection; but, it's probably the only thing he'll allow at the moment, so it will have to suffice. Loqi seems to realise it, too, given the way his breath hitches with a sharp inhale in that brief moment. Like he wants to protest but also still wants the contact.

"Lo. I need you to look at me." When he doesn't immediately comply, Ravus gives his neck a gentle squeeze. "Loqi… please. Just for a moment."

There's a moment longer of hesitation before he finally complies. He pulls away from the protective hold, just enough that he can look up to make eye contact. His eyes are understandably red and irritated as the tears continue down his face. With the irritation, the outline of his contacts is rather remarkably noticeable. Ravus gives a thin smile, gently tapping his chin to make sure he doesn't try to look down.

"I know this isn't going to mean much coming from me… but, thank you." Loqi frowns at him, his head tilting to one side in a curious gesture. "You know why he's being this hard on you. Don't you?"

"... Because I failed. Not that hard to figure out, Rae." His words are a bit broken up, as his breath hitches every few moments. He looks miserable and tries to glare. "Not much to thank me for."

"You could have easily blamed this on me. I acknowledge I am more at fault than you. Whoever implied to him that I've connections to Caelum's group, I've the utmost confidence that it wasn't you. Am I wrong?"

Loqi shakes his head sharply. "Of course I didn't! If he knew—you think he'd let me go _anywhere_ with you? He'd have probably had you killed on the spot—"

"He's certainly welcome to _try_ ." Ravus' tone deadpans; but, he shakes his head. "Not the point for the moment. My point was, I know you didn't tell him. And as grateful as I am, I am also… very admittedly, not sorry that you'll be staying." That gets him a blank look. Almost anger. But confusion seems to win out as Loqi tries to put the information together through, what is likely, either a massive headache or the forming of one. Ravus smiles again, a little bit sadder than before. "Lo, whether or not you realise it? Up until tonight? You've been doing _amazing_. I haven't had to get onto you about eating once since you were able to move around. You've been out in the field or just staying in the apartment almost every night. A few nights at the bar, but usually for jobs. You've made absolutely astronomical adjustments to my arm in that time, as well."

"Well, duh." Loqi still looks confused. "Hate to say it, Rae, but you'd be kinda useless if your arm gave out. And the other stuff—oh. … _Oh_." He blinks a few times, like he's finally caught on. "Because… I wasn't…"

"You weren't worried about your father's reaction to anything you were doing." Ravus finishes. His smile is a little less sad this time and he presses a quick kiss to Loqi's forehead. It gets him a short, agitated—albeit weak—hiss of protest that makes him laugh a quiet note. "This doesn't have to be a bad thing, Lo. I'll make you a promise, alright?" Loqi finally meets his eye again, curiosity seeming to win out in favour of arguing. "Give it a week or so. A week and a half, minimum. If you still want to go back to Niflheim after that time is up? I will personally see you there. Your father needn't know I was involved. So far as he'll be concerned, it will simply be a show of loyalty, no?"

"Show of loyalty would be leaving immediately." Loqi points out, then looks down at where his arms are still hanging loosely over Ravus' shoulders. Ravus can only imagine how much they hurt from the fight. Maybe not from throwing punches but Gladiolus had grabbed his arm in his attempts to separate the two. After a moment of consideration, Loqi gives a slow nod. "Week and a half. … On a purely hypothetical note—"

"If you do not desire to return to Niflheim after the allotted time frame… we simply carry about our lives the way we have been for the past three weeks." Ravus raises a brow. As much as he wants to state how obvious the alternative is, he… quite unfortunately understands. Loqi isn't _used_ to people wanting him around. And, just as much as he'd love to deny it, Ravus is just as guilty of letting that concept form and grow. Whenever they fought, Ravus made a point to put distance between them, lest things _really_ took a turn for the worst. There was no reason Loqi shouldn't assume he'd be kicked out. Which is why, when the assurance gets him little more than a relieved, short sigh, Ravus isn't the least bit surprised by it or by the regret that tries to get him to apologise. He _should_ apologise… but, perhaps tonight isn't the best night to do so.

"Sounds good." Loqi finally breaks the silence after weighing his options. Thankfully, just before Ravus gives in to the desire to apologise. He frowns a little, instead of focusing on his own thoughts, at how quiet Loqi's being. He imagines the crying took a rather unfortunate toll on his throat and his general health. But… it's still a bit unsettling. Loqi just reinforces that worry when he finally looks up again. His eyes look even puffier than before and it's only been a few minutes. He gives a short sniffle before rubbing at his eyes with a grumbled curse. "My eyes hurt, Rae… can we just take a shower and go to bed? I don't feel good…"

"I'd imagine you don't." Ravus rubs the back of his neck before adjusting his hold so he can stand and not drop the blond in the process. "Will a bath suffice? I can draw one and, while the tub fills, make you something small to eat. I didn't see you with any food at the bar."

Loqi gives him a long, blank look, as though he's genuinely forgotten that he hasn't eaten since lunch. But, as soon as the realisation hits him, his face twists into a mildly pained expression when his stomach gives a short growl. "Oh… right. …Cheese triangles?"

"... Grilled cheese, Lo. Just… just once. Call it what it—" Ravus sighs and shakes his head, cutting his own argument off. "You know what, never mind. Are you certain you'll be able to stomach them? Perhaps something lighter…."

"Cheese. Triangles."

The fact that, despite still looking remarkably and utterly miserable, Loqi manages to make the demand with a straight face and steady, moderately annoyed tone? Honestly, it's far more relieving than it has any right to be. So, instead of trying to argue further, Ravus lets a small smile take over his expression and gives a short nod. "Very well."

It isn't much progress. It does, quite unfortunately, explain the series of considerably unfortunate events that transpired over the evening. But, given that Loqi hasn't locked himself up _quite_ yet… he'll take what little victories he can.

Even so… he's not the least bit surprised that, after the bath, Loqi takes the plate of grilled cheese, retreats to the other apartment he's turned into a work shop, and locks himself in.

Ravus ends up spending the rest of the night listening for any signs he's tried leaving through the fire escape and is grateful that, two or three minutes before Hour Twenty-Five starts, he gets a short text from the other room.

 **From Loqi:** _Sorry I stormed off like that. Need to clear my head. Won't leave the apartment if you wanna go hunt still. Going to bed… night._

It's not… ideal. But, it's better than nothing. The best he can do right now, is put faith in Loqi keeping his word.


End file.
